The Long way Around (Edited)
by HopelessRomanticWithAKink
Summary: Lydia Deetz, now 26, must navigate her relationship with the Neitherworld after over a decade since she left. Has she changed too much for the Ghost with the Most? What if not everyone is happy about her return? Shes attracting more attention than she bargained for.
1. Chapter 1

Inspired by Drop Dead Fred. Partly based on the cartoon-verse, partly based on movie-verse in the sense that not everyone can see ghosts. I obviously don't own any of these characters (aside from a few supporting roles) I just love them to pieces. This is my first fic (so please go easy on me) and honestly probably my last, I've just read so many of these fics and none of them were exactly the way I wanted even though I greatly enjoyed the vast majority of them.

"Another, sweetheart." Beetlegeuse winked at the bartender. She pressed her lips in a tight smirk as she lay down another whiskey in front of him. He admired her as she turned away. Her short black hair was curly, stopping at her jaw line. It was a lovely contrast to the dark blues and purples of her scales. However, more than anything, her ample figure is what held his eyes. Anissa was the overnight at Despondent Moan, one of the few bars in the Neitherworld that he hadn't been kicked out of yet. The bar itself was quiet aside from the low jazz playing from the jukebox. Beetlegeuse had become a fixture here most nights, preferring the dim lights and seedy patrons to the clubs brimming with loud music and the freshly dead.

"I don't suppose you can pay your tab for the past week." Anissa muttered as she wiped down the counter.

"I don't suppose we could work somethin' out, Niss?" He chuckled darkly and raised his eyebrows suggestively. Anissa shot him a sharp look and pulled the baseball bat out from under the bar. With an exaggerated sigh he reached into the inside pocket of the crumpled black and white pinstripe he often wore, producing a slightly damp wad of money.

"I played a few hands before you got in, with a couple of the regulars." Anissa only snorted and resumed her task. Beetlegeuse finished his drink, basking in the brief sensation of heat in his otherwise cold body before getting up to leave. Anissa looked up surprised.

"Already? It's only just past midnight." Often he stayed well past three in the morning, sometimes passing out in the corner booth when the bar was empty.

"Yeah, I'm probably just gonna crash," He said stretching his arms behind him, "Unless you changed your mind?" She rolled her eyes at his leering gaze and scooped up the ball of cash on the bar.

"Somehow, I think I'll pass." Beetlegeuse shrugged and trudged out of the bar.

The air outside tasted stale, not quite relieving him of the heavy scent the bar carried. Cigar smoke was so ingrained he imagined the walls weren't always that shade of yellow and… something acidic, perhaps very faintly of vomit. The dead had no need to breathe, but often did so out of habit. The result leaving the air rich in oxygen but stale nonetheless.

The street was still filled with ghosts, ghouls, and everything in between milling about the bars and late night restaurants so he did his best to pass through unnoticed. Just a few blocks before his own house, he stopped in front of _her_ place. An eerie twist of the house it represented in the living world, the outside looked just the same with plain white siding and old windows reflecting the cracks and normal wear of its counterpart. However the inside only held one room. _Hers_. He sighed making his way up the steps and into the house.

How long had it been since he last saw her? Her face had begun to blur around the edges. He couldn't quite remember the sound of her voice. When he first realized something was wrong, he spent days in front of the mirror hoping and waiting. Only leaving after Ginger, Jacques, and The Monster Across the Street had intervened. Then he settled for coming by once or twice a day, just in case. Once a week, once a month, now it was every six months or so. Inside a vanity with a thin sheet covering it sat opposite him.

The floor had been swept and the broken bottles had been cleared away reminding him that he wasn't the only one who felt her loss. Ginger, or maybe Jacques had come by to visit at some point and found his mess. Beetlegeuse felt slightly violated. He had come to regard this space his own as much as the roadhouse. He gritted his teeth at the thought that either of them had cleaned up after him out of pity.

Crossing the room in three strides, he reached out and grasped the sheet with the intention of yanking it away but hesitated. In a moment, his anger had receded leaving a heavy pit in his stomach. He pulled the sheet aside gently, bracing himself against the sight of the empty room on the other side of the mirror. What he found instead knocked the wind out of him.

_Lydia_.

Lydia held a lighter up to the bowl and quickly inhaled before passing it to her roommate. The smoke burned her throat in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. Her head buzzed slightly and she felt herself ease into a relaxed state. It was nearly the only time she was able to feel that way anymore.

"It's cashed, your turn to pack it." She did her best to say while coughing. Kaitlyn shook her head and emptied the contents into the ashtray.

"Nah, I'm good. You can smoke another if you want though." She sat it on the couch in between them and laid her head back. Lydia stashed the bowl, grinder and little bag of weed in one of the remaining boxes she would load in the morning when she left.

"I can't believe you're really leaving me tomorrow." Kaitlyn peeked her eye at Lydia. "You realize you're condemning me to a life of ramen and hot pockets." Lydia snickered and took a sip of her drink. To celebrate their last night together, Kaitlyn had ordered pizza and cupcakes while Lydia made strawberry margaritas with black food coloring. Much had changed over the years but it was still her favorite color.

"It's time for you to evolve. Take a class, buy a cookbook, or if all else fails, bang a chef." Kaitlyn groaned and smiled brightly at Lydia.

"If a throw you a little ass, will you stay?" Lydia choked on her drink and both girls erupted in laughter.

"I'm actually kind of excited to go back. Delia isn't there anymore so I'll be able to enjoy it in peace." Her father, Charles, had passed away two month prior from a heart attack. The old house in Peaceful Pines had been left to her since her father and Delia had divorced a year previous. "I think I'll turn their room into a dark room. It will be great to flex this photography degree, maybe I'll even find some work out there. The place will be empty otherwise. Hard to imagine I haven't been there since I was fifthteen." She mused.

"That's when they sent you to that boarding school right? Wait, not even to visit your dad?" Kaitlyn vaguely remembered Lydia talking about some big fight with her parents that ended up in her being shipped away. Lydia inspected her nails. Kaitlyn had painted them a week before. Black glitter with purple and blue curves. It was supposed to look like little galaxies but Kaitlyn hadn't quite capture the effect she was aiming for.

"Yeah, they always came to see me. I don't really blame them anymore though. I was a pretty messed up kid. I was constantly fighting with them, I was obsessed with death, and bullied all the time at school, I was so lonely I even made up a bunch of imaginary friends. Who knows how fucked up I would be now if they hadn't put an end to it." Kaitlyn got up to grab another slice of pizza and shot Lydia a questioning look, wordlessly offering to bring her a slice. Lydia shook her head.

"I don't remember you mentioning you had imaginary friends, I had a pet rock when I was ten. Brought it everywhere with me, drove my grandma crazy." Lydia sighed. It had been about eleven years since she lived in the big white house. She had pulled some prank on her dad and when he ended up breaking his leg, that was the last straw. They drove her out to a boarding school in upstate New York where she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. After years of therapy and heavy medication, some of it being recreational, she finally felt as if she was getting better. Though to this day puns put her ill at ease.

"Helloooo?" Lydia's head snapped up to see her friend looking at her expectantly.

"Are you sure it's ok for you to go back there? You don't think it will trigger a break or something? Lydia considered it briefly before shaking her head.

"I'm pretty sure as long as I take my meds I'll be fine." Kaitlyn didn't look convinced but nodded.

"If you feel like something's not right with you, call me. You know I've always got you."

She leaned her head on Kaitlyn's shoulder and nodded.

The further away she drove from New York, the more anxious Lydia felt. Away from her parents, she carved out a niche for herself and when she thought about her time in Peaceful Pines, it was like looking at herself through a fun house mirror. Nothing made sense, just a jumble of images she had worked hard to sift through and determine what was reality. She reasoned with herself that unless she was able to handle being back in this town, she would never know if she truly was better and stronger. The possibility that she would spiral into an episode was a daunting prospect that she prepared herself to handle. Maybe if she did well, she wouldn't have to take as much medication.

These days Lydia often found smoking a couple bowls was enough to steady her thoughts. On days it got real bad, days she thought about _him_, she would take the meds again. The sun had started to go down, leaving just a line of pink on the horizon. The radio did little to settle her nerves so when she came upon the outskirts out town, she stopped for a bite at little bar that wasn't there when she had left.

It wasn't too busy, just a couple handfuls of customers. A waitress waved around indicating she could sit wherever she liked. She picked a booth in the back and another waitress came up to the table.

"Hi! I'm Claire! What can I get… Lydia?" Before her stood Claire Brewster, still blond and skinny and beautiful. Fuck. Lydia felt like a deer caught in headlights. Before she could respond however, Claire slid into her booth trapping her there.

"Lydia, I am so so so sorry for all the shit I put you though when we were younger." Well, that was unexpected. Claire's face was the picture of sincerity, though Lydia was having difficulty believing it.

"I really mean it, I was awful to you. After you left, alot happened. First my mom practically bankrupted us with all her credit card debt but don't worry, Dad recovered for the most part even though SHE STILL keeps spending TONS of money," Claire was babbling. "And then in high school, I met Zeke and Daddy HATES him so he pretty much disowned me when Zeke got me pregnant, but don't worry we got married and now he's a mechanic and I'm here and we had another one last year and LOOK at my BABIES!" Claire thrust her phone in Lydia's face to show her a little girl that looked like a much happier version of her mother at that age, probably about eight or nine standing next to a baby boy, also with blond hair.

"They're great Claire. Congratulations." She smiled meekly, weary of the stranger wearing the face of her biggest bully growing up. Claire, caught up in her own bubble as always, didn't notice Lydia's lack of enthusiasm.

"Oh my God, I can't believe you're back! I mean of course everyone heard about what happened to your dad, I'm so sorry by the way that is so sad. But you're here! Are you staying or just passing through? We definitely HAVE to hang out sometime! So many people moved away, you wouldn't BELIEVE it uuugh." Lydia gave a polite laugh and nodded.

"Ok! So what do you want to eat? Everything here is SO good, oh my god I swear I gained like ten pounds when I started. You know what? I get off in like ten minutes. I'll have the cook whip us up something and I'll eat with you!"

"Uh, ok. Sounds cool." Claire's eyes lit up and she hurried away to finish up. Dinner with Claire Brewster. She tried hard not to think about what _he_ would say about all this. She inhaled sharply and walked up to the bar.

"Whiskey is strongest." The bartender nodded, returning shortly with her drink. She pulled out her wallet but the guy shook his head.

"Claire said you weren't allowed to pay for anything. Old friends, I hear?" Lydia was a bit uncomfortable at this but free booze was free booze.

"Oh, um well we go way back. Thank you." She returned to her booth and grabbed her pill bottle from in her purse. Better take it now before the other dose started to wear off.

"What's that?" Claire was back already.

"Oh, I get really bad cramps so my doctor prescribed it." She rattled off the old excuse she used whenever anyone asked. It wouldn't hurt to take it later she thought as she slipped the bottle back in her purse. Claire nodded sympathetically. In front of her, Claire had placed some kind of green burrito.

"It's a spinach and mushroom wrap. It's got quinoa, squash, asparagus and like lemon aioli in it, it's SO good." Not entirely trusting Claire but hoping she wasn't willing to lose her job over screwing with her, she took a bite. Surprisingly delicious. Claire did most of the talking, excitedly filling Lydia in on everything she missed without skipping over any trivial details. The only input Lydia needed were nods, the occasional gasp of horror, and sometimes "Oh, really?" as needed. A few drinks later Lydia thanked Claire for her hospitality but still needed to get settled in. Claire smiled and refused to let her leave without her phone number and a promise to get together soon.

As soon as all the boxes were inside, Lydia collapsed on her old bed exhausted. Being alone in this house late at night she found the silence unnerving and plugged up her stereo. Harry Belafonte's Jump in the Line echoed through the house. The room seemed a bit less intimidating. Smaller than she remembered. She pulled a box towards her and started pulling things out, finding a home for each of her books and knick knacks. Packing a bowl, she leaned back against the headboard and took a sizable hit. Her pocket vibrated.

Lydia pulled out the phone and glanced down at it. 11:47pm Missed Call Kate. Lydia smiled at the three texts she missed, and indication that someone out there cared about her. She got up and turned the volume down a few notches and called Kaitlyn back.

"Jeez, I was about to release the search parties. What the fuck dude? You should have been there hours ago!" Lydia chuckled.

"I'm sorry _Mom_, I ran into someone I knew and we grabbed a bite to eat. I didn't realize my phone was on silent." Kaitlyn grunted.

"Oh, I see. You leave for one day and you already have my replacement lined up." The conversation went back and forth like this while Lydia smoked on her bed. Across the room from her, a voice in the vanity roared for her attention. Unaware it's pleads fell on deaf ears.

Beetlegeuse couldn't believe it. How could he? A decade had gone by. He furiously rubbed the dust from the glass to make sure he was seeing her properly. No, there she was laughing away at something someone said to her on the other side of the line.

"LYDIA! LYDIA LOOK AT ME!" He was overjoyed! He was heartbroken! WHY wouldn't she look at him? He was in shock. Couldn't she hear him?

"Alright well I'm gonna finish this bowl and pass out, I am exhausted." Lydia grinned, meeting her own eyes in the vanity only long enough to note the tired dark circles.

"Yeah, I feel ya, I'll call you tomorrow sweets. Love ya." Lydia said goodbye and plugged up her phone. She resumed pulling a few things out of boxes, clothes mostly, while taking the occasional hit. Lydia groaned as she realized she had left her purse in the car, regarded the mirror wearily. No ghosts, only her, as it had always been. She shrugged. It couldn't hurt to just take her meds in the morning.

Most of her clothes were unpacked, she figured the rest could wait until tomorrow. Digging through the clothes, she found an old ripped black t-shirt and dark blue short shorts she often wore as pjs. She looked around and rolled her eyes. _No one is here, idiot._ She chastised herself but couldn't help shooting another glance at the mirror before stripping down to just her underwear.

Beetlegeuse was confused more than anything. That was definitely Lydia. Her long raven black hair fell in waves well past her shoulders. Her oaky colored eyes shown radiant as ever, unmistakable. He'd know those eyes anywhere. Her voice lilted through the veil between their worlds, almost nothing between them. He pounded his fists against the barrier, it may as well be a mile thick for all his efforts availed.

For the moment it seemed he would have to settle with just being able to see her. He supposed that since she left without so much as a goodbye, maybe a small part of him had thought she moved on without regrets. It filled him with bitter anger. Why couldn't she see him? She glanced at the mirror from time to time, giving no indication that she knew he was there. The way she looked through him as if he didn't exist tore through him.

She was beautiful. She had grown up considerably since he last laid eyes on her. Lydia's pants fell to the ground exposing more of her skin than he'd ever seen. Her long legs were exquisite, he was mesmerized at the sight. Until she pulled her shirt over her head and unlatched her bra. Beetlegeuse felt his jaw hit the floor. He knew he should look away but the thought that she'd disappear after so long terrified him, besides, she was faced away from him anyway. Her skin looked like creamy white satin. He took in all of her curves like a starving man in the dessert.

That's what his life had become without her. An endless dessert. Existing and not existing. For so long hearing her name brought him nothing but anguish and maybe this was a starving man's dream. Maybe he would wake up and he'd spend the next month in a state of raw agony but for tonight at least, he'd drink in every last drop.

A month had passed since Lydia had returned to Peaceful Pines. She had adjusted without issue, easily finding a job at a local studio as well as a part time at the coroner's office as an assistant. It was mostly cleaning and sanitizing but she didn't mind. Claire wasn't the least bit interested in coming to see her here and that suited Lydia just fine. She still couldn't quite grasp this unlikely friendship she'd been roped into. Kaitlyn made plans to come see her and Lydia couldn't wait the three more days until she was there. While she didn't feel as if she would sink into an episode, it would still be nice to enjoy the support of her friend.

Coming home, she dropped off her mail and keys by the front door and made her way upstairs. While she had unpacked everything, she was still sifting through the leftover contents of the house. In the attic she had arranged three piles: keep, trash, and unsorted. Making her way over to the last box she had opened, Lydia began pulling out the contents. It appeared to be filled with Delia's old jewelry. Most of it was over the top. Very much like Delia. Pulling out her phone she called her former step-mother.

"Lydia! What do need dear?" She sounded disinterested.

"I'm cleaning out the old house and found some of your jewelry. Did you want me to send it up?" She fingered a delicate silver chain that was tangled with at least three other necklaces.

"Mmm no, I took anything I wanted with me when we left. Keep it, give it to charity." The silver chain pulled easily enough away from the tangled web revealing a small silver ring she immediately recognized. She dropped the necklace as if it burned her, releasing a startled gasp.

"Are you alright?" Delia seemed more annoyed than worried. Lydia's throat felt like there was a rock settled in it and she tried her best to clear it. Closing the box, she carried it down to the living room and set it on the table.

"Yeah, fine. Fine. I just thought I saw a rat." She knew her voice was a bit shaky but doubted Delia would notice. She would take the box to donations in the morning. Delia tsked.

"All the more reason I'm glad I'm back in New York and not saddled with that place. Alright dear, if that's all I'm going to let you go. I'm in the middle of this piece and hopefully I can get back in the zone and really feel what this clay is telling me. Kiss kiss." She promptly hung up before Lydia could reply. It was just as well.

Lydia felt light-headed and poured herself a glass of whiskey. She let it mull around her mouth a moment before she swallowed, focusing her thoughts on the way her mouth burned. Slight notes of honey filled her nose and the sickly sweet scent steadied her. Pouring another glass, she trudged up to her room. The pharmacy didn't carry the specific off brand of the medication that her insurance would cover, so she'd have to make it through a couple days until they got it in.

She didn't need the pills. Now that she knew about the problems she faced, it would be far easier to keep a lid on the things that went bump in her head. It was all about willpower. Two days, three days, a week. No sweat. Oh, if Doctor Ingraham could hear her now. Believing that she could handle it alone without the meds was classic schizophrenic behavior. _It's not as if I've got a choice. _As soon as the prescription came, she would take the meds. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened over the past month, she reasoned. A short humorless laugh escaped her lips. Not entirely convinced.

She considered the drive to a pharmacy in the next closest city but quickly dismissed it. Mind over matter. Lydia sighed and went back up to her room. Beetlegeuse sat in her mirror nursing a bottle of bourbon, having come back every day since she first appeared. He hadn't told anyone else about her yet, not until he figured out how to make contact. As far as he could tell, she wasn't intentionally ignoring him. Something was blocking their connection. For the moment, Lydia might as well be just another breather.

She didn't look like one though. It stuck him how stark the contrast was between the last time they spoke and now. It wasn't even the age difference, although that definitely hadn't escaped his notice. She looked so guarded. As if she was preparing for a fight around every corner. His Lydia was full of life, this one had been drained of it. She could easily pass for another face in the Neitherworld. When she had first resurfaced he was just so overcome by seeing her that the details slipped through the cracks. It was almost just as agonizing to see her as it was for her to be gone.

Lydia held up a freshly packed bowl and took a long hit. That was another thing that made her feel so foreign to him. The ghost was 600 years old give or take, the drugs themselves didn't upset him but rather her apparent need to self medicate. Why? What horrible thing had turned into his Lydia into this creature that drank and smoke like it was routine?

A thought pierced him that left Beetlegeuse feeling sick and hollow. What if it was him? His fault?_ I didn't mean for her father to get hurt! It was a stupid prank… _He pressed his forehead against the glass and closed his eyes, unable to look at her.

"Je pensais que je te trouverais ici." Beetlegeuse looked behind him to see the old french skeleton leaned back against the door. He wore a dark brown blazer and a black turtleneck. Matching slacks clung to his hips, loose everywhere else. He clearly hadn't just come back from weightlifting.

"I'm too drunk to translate that, Jacques." The irritation in his voice made clear to Jacques that his presence was not welcome. As one of the few friends Beetlegeuse had, Jacques didn't particularly give a damn and was used to the cold hostility the ghost often applied when he felt someone was trying to help him. _Connard_.

"Ai said, 'Ai thought I'd find yew here.'" Over the centuries they had spent in each others company, Beetlegeuse had tried a few times to learn french for the sake of his friend but that was more effort than he felt to exert presently.

"Sh`e eez beautiful, non?" Jacques pulled up a chair beside him and studied Lydia. Beetlegeuse felt a stab of possessive anger though didn't know why. Only that he wanted to hold Lydia away from Jacques gaze.

"You aren't surprised to see her though." Beetlegeuse's voice held an accusatory tone. Jacques clicked his teeth and leaned back. Without taking his eyes away from the mirror he replied with the same level of accusation.

"Yew don't visit mor than evairy few months for years et zen sudden-lee yew're here evairydai? Of curse she's back. We aren't stupid."

"I was going to say something, I just needed to figure out- Wait, we?" The skeleton shot him a withering look. Beetlegeuse groaned and took another swig from his bottle.

"Oui. Ginger adaired Lydia, she comes here from time to timé. She eez 'urt zat you kept zis from us. Per'aps we couldn't help but at ze vairy léast we could endure zis torment togethair. You could lean on me ét not zat bot-tell." Beetlegeuse looked down at his feet, not knowing how to reply. Jacques had known him for an age, there wasn't any excuse he wouldn't see through. Jacques turned back to the mirror and pulled a cigarette case from inside his blazer.

Wordlessly he offered Beetlegeuse one which he gladly accepted. Smoke snaked out Jacques's eye and nose sockets, and with every word he spoke, smoke puffed out from under his zygomatic arch, the bones that made up his cheekbone.

They talked about Jacques's new workout regimine, about Ginger's appearance in a local dance performance, but mostly they talked about anything that wasn't Lydia. When Lydia sat face to face with them at the vanity to finish up some reports from work, the two abandoned their conversation.

"What eez zat bot-tell by her bed?" Beetlegeuse dragged his eyes away from Lydia to the object in question. He pursed his lips, shaking his head.

"I'm not entirely sure. It's some kind of medication, but as for what it does or why she's taking it? At first I thought it got her high, but I'd be able to tell if there was something other than pot in her system. She always looks on edge when she takes it, maybe it's anti-anxiety." Beetlegeuse's lip curled as he spoke, anger flaring that he couldn't protect her even now. Jacques considered him for a long moment, deciding how best to approach his point.

"Have you considaired eet eez bécause of us? She left without a word, for a decadé, Bee-téllgeus, and now eez takéng zum drug zat ai believe might be why she cannot see us." Beetlegeuse had trouble swallowing. Jacques's words sent icy tendrils through him, giving voice to the thoughts Beetlegeuse had tried very hard to avoid over the last month.

"What would you have me do, Bones?" The words came out more vehemently than he'd intended. He cleared his throat and when he spoke again he voice was barely audible. "Just leave her?"

"Oui."

Lydia found that paperwork gave her an excellent reason not to be alone with her thoughts. It didn't matter that she had already written these reports at work, she rewrote them with more detail and clarity, knowing her boss would appreciate the precision.

Beetlegeuse sat alone, Jacques having excused himself after he'd said his piece. He had laid his hand on the mirror as he watched her, considering what his friend had said. She was right there. How could he leave her? But how could she leave him to begin with?

She sighed and stared into the vanity. Part of her, a small part she had done her best not to give credence to, had held out hope she wasn't crazy. That it was all real, that he was real. Nothing over the past month had lead her to believe this though. If the ghost with the most hadn't shown up by now, it clearly was all in her head. She pressed her hand against the glass, knowing she was in dangerous territory. She was off her medication and if she did anything to trigger a break, her parents weren't there to bring her back to reality this time.

The spot where her hand was felt icy. She pulled it away, running her fingers around the length of the mirror. The surface was cool to the touch, but the spot she pressed her hand against was easily twenty degrees colder than the rest. When she placed her hand there again, the glass began to sweat against the heat she exerted. Her heart raced and her head felt dizzy.

Beetlegeuse concentrated all his energy, all his juice into the spot where their hands met, willing her to feel him. Energy crackled between his hand and the glass, green static wrapping around his arm.

"LYDIA!" He ground out between his clenched teeth.

_Lydia…_ Her head snapped up and she yanked her hand away, breaking the connection. No. She was being stupid. Kaitlyn had warned her it wasn't healthy for her here and she didn't listen. Lydia threw open her bathroom door and emptied her stomach into the toilet. The aftertaste of alcohol mixed with chime triggered a fit of dry heaving. Having been conditioned by her doctor against this kind of behavior, she was overcome by nausea.

Beetlegeuse stared uncomprehending at the scene before him. She had heard him. It made her vomit. He was used to people finding him disgusting. He didn't bathe, there was moss of some kind growing around his white blonde hair which was more like a knotted thicket than than hair. His teeth were yellowed and his clothes were wrinkled. Of course he was disgusting. But not to Lydia.

Lydia would laugh when he pulled rats out of his pockets. Lydia, who had spend hours once collecting and making him chocolate covered beetles. Lydia, who thought the cobwebs and unidentified slime of the roadhouse was 'Deadly-vu', vomited when she felt him.

That was enough his cold dead heart could take for one day. The room spun as he stood to leave and after a second of reconsidering, he decided the corner would be a lovely spot to sleep it off.

"So the buzz going around is that Beetle's little breather is back." Her airy tinkling voice was thick with derision. Beetlegeuse sat on the edge of the bed wearing only his wrinkled black tie. Without responding he pulled a cigarette to lips and lit it. It had been only two days since he passed out drunk in Lydia's Neitherworld house. The woman ran her electric blue manicured nails through her curly blonde hair before leaning towards him to pout her lips.

"Should I be jealous?" Beetlegeuse narrowed his eyes, turning towards her. He had planned to keep things light but Tamara would only continue to dig until she was given a response. She wasn't without her charms. His eyes skated over her long legs and curve of her bare heart-shaped ass lingering only for a moment before zeroing in on the large breasts she was doing her best to catch his attention with. He didn't bother to explore any further up. There wasn't anything of value to him beyond that point. Not to mention he found her hair to be particularly unappealing.

"Where'd you hear that?" Beetlegeuse grunted, refusing to acknowledge her prior comment. Tamara was a secretary at the Department of dead services and a notorious gossip. Usually he didn't mind because she was an easy lay and she'd occasionally share something he could use as blackmail later if he ever needed to, but today he had no patience for it.

"That spider who hangs around you came to the office," She ran her nails across his thigh in an attempt to appear nonchalant. "She was desperately trying to find a way to contact the breather. I guess you… can't?" Tamara raised her eyebrows and offered a mischievous smile. The returning glare she received was a clear warning she decided to ignore.

"I hate to see you so… distracted. I suppose I might be able to, if you'd like." Beetlegeuse stood up and retrieved his shirt off the floor. He didn't need help. He was the fucking ghost with the most. Lydia would come around. It was painful for him when she turned away from their connection, but he could afford to wait. Lydia was worth it. Tamara must have thought he was considering his offer because she sat up and wrapped her hand around his hip.

"I can open a backdoor in her house, I've seen Juno do it. You can't use it because you're bound, but I could." His stomach lurched at the idea of Tamara in Lydia's house. She wrapped her fingers around the base of his cock and rubbed the tip against her lips. "Breathers aren't complicated Beetle. I'll get her attention. Your little pet won't be able to ignore me. Fear is a powerful motivator."

The implication sparked hot anger pulsing through his veins, his power crackling at his fingertips as her roughly grabbed her chin.

"Are you implying I don't have the juice to manage on my own?" He fumed, clenching tighter when she tried to protest. "Let me clarify somethin' to you doll, since you've clearly forgotten. This," Beetlegeuse gestured around to the clothes and booze strewn around Tamara's room. "Means nothing. Stay out of my business. If you so much as give it another thought, I'll exercise you myself. I won't hesitate." Tamara yanked her face away and glared at him.

"You wouldn't dare! You and your friend's obsession is sick! She's a fucking brea-" Beetlegeuse caught her by the throat and pushed her back down on the bed.

"Do you really think that anyone would give a damn if some anonymous whore disappeared? Stay the fuck out of it." He hissed coldly. The power behind his words made her flinch.

"You have a reputation Beetle. It's unnatural. It makes you look weak to have this little pocket breather. I'll stay clear but you should bear that in mind. Someone might even think she

could be used as leverage over you." Tamara's voice cracked as she hastily spat out her point. He considered her words for a moment before releasing a haughty chuckle.

"Not that I care about what you or anyone else thinks, but she's entertaining. A momentary diversion. I am 600 years old for fucksakes. She's not special, she's just a conquest. Breathers make for interesting sport. Ginger just wants to ruin my fun." Beetlegeuse did his best to convince her of his lecherous intent, feeling slimy on the inside but knowing he had to protect Lydia.

"I do have a reputation. You'd do well to remember who I am. If this arrangement is too much for you to handle," He raised a brow and smirked, leaning back with disdain coloring his eyes. "Then by all means tell me. The last thing I need is a broad getting all emotional on me." The flippancy of his tone made her cheeks burn.

"We're good." Beetlegeuse looked skeptical so she quickly continued. "Why don't you stay awhile?" She pulled herself up by his tie and nipped at his ear. "I kind of liked you getting rough with me." In that moment he felt nothing but contempt for the woman. However, on any other occasion, he would have stayed and fucked her. If he left now, she would know she was right.

"Is that right?" She wanted rough? He'd show her rough. Beetlegeuse snaked his fingers behind her head and grabbed a fist full of hair. She winced but arched her body towards his. Tamara was dead, any damage he could inflict would repair itself within an hour at most. Biting her neck, he gave her nipples a sharp pinch. Her nails dug into his back, pulling his shirt back off.

Beetlegeuse yanked her off the bed by her wrists and threw the both of them against the wall. Grabbing her throat again, this time he wrapped her leg around his waist and forcefully thrust her body down on his cock. She yelped and the sound spurred him to heave her body harder against him.

"Mmmnn… yes, FUCK me…" Her moans agitated him and he dug his nails into her neck, making her whimper. For all Beetlegeuse's exertions, the sex was passionless, mechanical, leaving him increasingly frustrated as he drove her closer to orgasm.

Pleasure ripped through her and she collapsed against him. Beetlegeuse growled and dragged her back to the bed. Propping her up, he smacked her ass as he slammed his cock back inside her. Fixing his eyes on the wall, he was determined to slake his appetite in the one area of his afterlife he wasn't having trouble in.

Suddenly Beetlegeuse's skin hummed with a familiar energy. Lydia's face flashed into his mind, the image not entirely unwelcome. His ring. She was wearing the ring, he could feel it. He grunted and conjured the memory of her bare breasts the night she first came back. His orgasm crashed over him and he bit his lip to keep from shouting her name.

He pulled away, immediately gathering his clothes. Tamara whipped her head around to watch him. He shot her a toothy grin as he zipped up his pants.

"Where are you going?" Tamara whined, confused as she tried to grab his arm.

"I've got some friends I said I'd meet and it's the kind of thing I've just gotta be there in person, y'know?"

Kaitlyn occupied her time waiting for Lydia to get home by rummaging through the pile of boxes Lydia had gathered in the foyer. Lydia had told her she was welcome to anything from them she liked as it was all marked for donation. Kaitlyn had already pulled the contents of nearly half the pile into a seperate one for herself, knowing Lydia would gag seeing her modeling Delia's old things.

She strut around the bottom floor sporting a pair of 6 inch forest green pumps while munching on a brownie from a batch Lydia had made the night before. The treats were decadent and chewy, just the way she liked. Kaitlyn, having no cooking or baking capabilities whatsoever, marveled over Lydia's ability to make even the simplest of meals.

One of the boxes was filled with extravagant jewelry and with curious delight she carried it and the plate of brownies up the stairs to Lydia's room. Once she settled in front of the mirror, she immediately began trying on different pieces. While admiring a pair of peacock feather earrings, she continued nibbling on her brownie.

Her eyes landed on a little silver ring on a fragile silver chain. She picked it up and turned it around between her fingers. There was nothing remarkable about it except that it was entirely unlike everything else in the box, she could see a small skull etched into it with white gold lillies on either side with their stems in place of crossbones. The ring was oddly cold but Kaitlyn explained it away as an effect of the metal. She slipped it on to find it was so small that it would only fit on her pinkie finger. Lydia couldn't have meant to get rid of this, it was exactly her style.

Kaitlyn went back downstairs to pour herself a glass of milk and retrieve her cell phone from where it was charging on the counter. Glancing at the time, she realized Lydia wouldn't be home for at least another hour. As much as she enjoyed playing dress up, it was time with her best friend she craved.

The two of them had been practically inseparable when they had met in biology back their sophomore year of college. Kaitlyn was one of the few people Lydia trusted with the knowledge of her battle with Schizophrenia and on an even shorter list of people who didn't treat her any differently because of it. They had been the one real constant in each other's lives through failed relationships, terrible jobs and never ending school work.

Walking over to a box she had already decided to keep, she pulled out a dark red cloche hat with a thick black band around it and pulled it on. It didn't match the shoes but she wanted to see what it would look like with the earrings she wore. As she looked for a different pair of shoes, she thought about the way Lydia had looked when she arrived.

The month since they had last seen each other had left a startling effect on her friend. She looked as if she hadn't had a good night's sleep since she had been there, anxiety etched throughout her features and movements. Lydia swore she was fine, just adjusting to the new job, but Kaitlyn knew better than that. Within being with her for an hour, Kaitlyn had already decided to extend her visit to a full week. She replaced the green heels for a pair half the height and in a similar shade of red as the rest of her ensemble. She sighed and made her way back upstairs.

"Hello Beautiful."

"HOLY FUCK NO!" Kaitlyn screamed as she fell backwards on her ass, smashing the glass of milk on the floor when she saw a man sitting in the mirror. Beetlegeuse was caught off guard as well, having expected to see Lydia under the wide brimmed hat. That explained the choice in fashion at least. Juno, perpetual pain in his ass and former colleague, would be furious when she found out he had exposed himself to a random breather.

"Whaaat the fuuuck…" The girl mumbled staring at him before her eyes drifted to a half-eaten plate of brownies. "Was in those brownies…?" Beetlegeuse couldn't help but laugh, the girl was still sprawled on the floor covered in milk and glass, apparently in the belief she was tripping.

"You aren't Lydia." She shook her head as if the information needed to be confirmed.

"You aren't real." Kaitlyn tried to reason but the bizarre hallucination only chuckled.

"I am, in fact, a ghost." He enunciated the words slowly to ensure the words sunk in. Maybe he could use this girl to his advantage, at the very least she had found his ring. The girl swore again.

"A ghost huh? I'm talking to a ghost." She slowly eased herself up without taking her eyes off the wild haired man before her. There was no way he was a projection. There wasn't anywhere he could be projecting from. Beetlegeuse couldn't remember it taking Lydia this long to grasp the concept.

"The Ghost with the Most, in the flesh. Well in a manner of speaking." He smacked his hand on the vanity causing Kaitlyn to flinch. Looking down, he scooped a cockroach into his mouth.

"And the ghost is talking to me!" She squealed in dismay to no one in particular. "The most what?" She didn't seem as if anything he said would surprise her. He simply looked at her expectantly while he chewed. Kaitlyn shook her head and then nodded.

"No, yeah. Of course." Did it matter? The guy was a fucking ghost! Kaitlyn shifted forward uneasily like Beetlegeuse was a rabid animal poised to strike. "Um, why can I see you?"

Beetlegeuse pointed to the small silver ring and Kaitlyn yanked it off. She squeaked when he didn't disappear.

"You can't unsee me now that you know I'm here. Look, I'm not gonna hurt you, I just thought you were Lydia." He hoped mentioning Lydia again would inspire an intelligent thought.

"She's still at work… I'm... Kate." She was introducing herself. To a ghost. "Are you… Lydia's… Dad?" Beetlegeuse howled with laughter.

"So old Chucks dead huh? Must have passed right on without stopping in between. No. I'm just... an old friend of hers. I've been having trouble lately though. Lydia can't see me anymore." He wasn't exactly sure what questions to ask but he hoped the girl had some insight into the woman who used to be his best friend. If even possible, the girl's eyes widened further.

"Holy shit. Lydia's not schizo. You're real! You're the imaginary friend. Oh my God. OH my GOD! She was in therapy for years! Oh my God this is gonna fuck her up…" Kaitlyn started pacing around, trying to understand how to reconcile her new world view with Lydia's carefully constructed reality. Beetlegeuse was even more confused now than before.

"Please." Kaitlyn stopped and stared at the poltergeist, who had begun to look green. "Please, what happened to Lydia?"

Lydia found the coroner's office to be a peaceful place. She wondered briefly if it should bother her that she felt more at ease with dead people than living but that line of thought would inevitably lead to thinking about him so she quickly busied herself with the task at hand. She carefully labeled the specimen jars that she and her boss, Jim collected in the last autopsy they had done that day.

Glancing at the clock she reminded herself to pick up some groceries on the way home. With Kaitlyn staying at her house, she had to remember to keep the fridge stocked. A small smile curved her face. Kaitlyn had arrived the night before, and Lydia couldn't be more delighted. The hallucination with the mirror left her shaken and having Kaitlyn around was the perfect anchor for her mental stability.

Her eyes moved to the purse where her pills were. On the one hand, she knew that experiencing a break like the one with the vanity was a major cause for concern and set off blaring alarms in her brain that she should immediately take her medication; inversely, the medication was exhausting. Her thoughts were sluggish, and she felt as if there was a delay between cognition and motor reaction. Was clarity of mind worth the price of its soundness?

When the incident occurred, she immediately drove to the next town and picked up her prescription at a pharmacy that did have it in stock. The bottle weighed heavily in her hands and for a moment- she was more wary of the drugs than she was about thinking about him. Lydia felt conflicted. She had taken her medication semi-regularly for years. This window of time she had stolen felt like the first breath of fresh air after being locked inside her mind since she was a child. The idea of giving it up was suffocating.

Packing up her things, she looked around and sighed. Perhaps being honest with Kaitlyn was what she should have done from the start. Obviously Lydia couldn't be trusted to make a clear decision.

Lydia stood in the doorway of her room staring inquisitively at the floor. Glass shards, milk, and what Lydia deduced to be blood covered the floor leading into her room. Her eyes landed on Kaitlyn sitting looking dazed staring into the mirror. Lydia was caught off guard by the unwelcome sight of Delia's old apparel but it was a small gash on her calf that her eyes settled on. It had stopped bleeding some time ago but Kaitlyn hadn't bothered to clean it up.

"Kat? What the hell dude? Are you alright?" The sound of Lydia's voice snapped Kaitlyn to life and she shot her a guilty look.

"Yeah, heh. I tripped over myself in these heels and dropped the glass. I'm sorry I meant to clean it up, I… I just got a call from my mom and kinda forgot." She grinned sheepishly at Lydia.

"You forgot that you're bleeding?" Lydia was unconvinced. Kaitlyn looked down as if noticing the cut for the first time.

" . I couldn't find your first aid kit and I didn't want to get blood on your stuff…" She winced, hating lying to Lydia but knowing it was necessary. Lydia smirked stepping around the mess and disappearing in the bathroom, returning a moment later with a small medical kit.

"It was under the sink. I don't care what you get blood on. I care that I've come home to find you looking…" She trailed off, not finding the words for it.

"Like I've seen a ghost?" Kaitlyn muttered with dark humor. Her eyes met the nameless ghoul in the mirror, who chuckled unseen by Lydia. Lydia wasn't sure what to make of her comment so she simply started cleaning the wound. Once she finished, the two women set about to clean up the mess in the doorway.

They were both unusually quiet, contributing little to the conversation as Lydia cooked dinner and Kaitlyn watched. Neither of them knew how to broach the subject that was on their minds. Lydia, wanting to be honest with her struggles but not wanting her friend to look at her as if she was crazy. Kaitlyn, having had her entire understanding of life up until that moment ripped apart.

So the evening went on much like this. Eventually to the relief of both of them, they slipped back into their usual back and forth. For a moment, Lydia felt as if everything would be alright until she remembered Kaitlyn would be leaving soon.

They ended the night in Lydia's room as Kaitlyn would be sleeping in a spare room. As she got up to leave she looked at the empty mirror one last time. It had been so since they came up from dinner.

"I haven't been taking my meds as often as I'm supposed to." Kaitlyn considered this for a moment and shrugged.

"You've never taken them the way the were prescribed since we moved in together." Kaitlyn hoped she could steer the conversation towards what Lydia needed to know without triggering a breakdown.

"Yes, but I think I'm.. seeing things?" Lydia's cheeks burned. "Nothing crazy, don't worry. Just… I don't know. Things don't seem right."

"But you still haven't taken it?" Kaitlyn had discussed the situation over with the self proclaimed "Ghost with the most" at length. He had wanted her to drag her into the bedroom and convince her to see him but with the ears of ingrained medical intervention, Kaitlyn had decided the best course would be to gently ease her in. Letting Lydia take the lead.

"I know. I _know_. I know I should take it. It just makes me feel like my head is filled with molasses. I don't feel like myself. I didn't have to take it very often when we lived together, but I think you were right. Being here is triggering something in my head. I'm happy to be back. I've got a nice job and I'm able to do my photography… but still something doesn't seem right. It feels like I've got this hole in my life. My parents didn't know I had schizophrenia for years so now being here without seeing… Well… I don't know." She drifted off staring out the window. It wasn't very late but the sun was already gone, and Lydia suspected that by morning there would be a fresh layer of snow on the ground.

"Lydia… I was going through the boxes of charity stuff today, I mean, obviously." She gestured behind her to the mess she'd made. She mulled the words over in her head, knowing it was the point of no return. "I found this ring." She slipped it off her pinkie and placed it in front of Lydia on the bed. Lydia's breathing hitched and she felt dizzy.

"I can't-" She looked from the ring to Kaitlyn, bewildered and upset. "Why…? I don't-"

"Lydia," Kaitlyn said her name firmly grasping her shoulders. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. You've got to face this head on." Lydia's face felt hot and a tear ran down the corner of her face.

"No! You don't understand… I don't think I can do this…" She looked terrified but Kaitlyn didn't waver in her resolve. She convinced herself that the truth would be better for her in the long run. She hated seeing Lydia believing she was so broken. She thought back to the anger written over Lydia's ghost's face at hearing how Lydia got this way. It was obvious he cared for her.

"We can do it together. I've got you. I'm not going to let go." She grasped Lydia's hand and with her other she picked up the ring and offered it to Lydia. It had to be her decision. Lydia took several deep breaths, her eyes locked on the ring. After several minutes, Lydia nodded.

Beetlegeuse sat at the bar of Despondent Moan, unable to wait in the mirror yet too restless to go back to the roadhouse. Juno's words still buzzed in his head. _Must have been doing it for a while beforehand._

The girl, Kaitlyn had agreed to bring Lydia to him but made it clear Lydia needed time. After hearing about what happened to Lydia in his absence, he agreed. Upon leaving Lydia's room, Beetlegeuse immediately stormed to the Department of Neitherworld services.

Tamara was working behind the desk and smirked when he walked in.

"Beetle's in troub-le" She teased him in a sing song voice. Beetlegeuse was practically snarling with rage but used every bit of self control to compose himself. He didn't need to make a scene in front of Tamara's loud mouth.

"Juno, I am sure, is expecting me?" She nodded waving him through the door. He gave her an exasperated smile as he disappeared into Juno's office. His acting was more than likely wasted however, as he was sure the little gossip could hear them arguing through the walls.

In the end, Beetlegeuse agreed to sift through all the paperwork his mistake had caused in exchange for information regarding Lydia's dearly departed dad and agreeing to keep an eye on who her secretary conversed with.

"If all that is true, then why didn't she just call for you? No. Something happened before they moved her. Sound to me like they had been dosing her with antipsychotics. Must have been doing it for a while beforehand. Maybe in her food or something. As long as she takes those drugs, you won't be able to interact with her. It shuts down the part of the brain that allows them to establish a connection with us." Juno leaned against her desk staring at him with her arms crossed. She took a drag of her cigarette and shrugged. "At least in those who even notice we're here. Maybe the parents thought she was suicidal?"

Juno couldn't care less for any breather, but at least this one kept Beetlegeuse relatively tame. Charles Deetz was lucky he moved straight on instead of getting stuck in the Neitherworld with him. Hopefully Delia wouldn't be quite as lucky.

Anissa replaced Beetlegeuse's empty glass with another drink.

"I haven't seen much of you over the past month or so, and when you are here, you look like shit." It wasn't a question but he knew she was curious. Taking a swing of his glass, he turned and gazed around the bar. There were a few patrons scattered around but no one within ear shot.

"I suppose it's in a bartender's job description to lend an ear as needed, huh?" He liked Anissa for her discretion. She wasn't asking because she wanted to gossip about him later or even because she cared about him, which he knew wasn't the case. She was simply being kind. Anissa snorted and removed an ear from the side of her head, dropping it in his whiskey. Grinning, Beetlegeuse took another sip, letting the tip of his tongue run along the edge of her ear lobe. She shivered from the sensation, then wrinkled her nose. He snickered, handing it back.

"Someone I care about deeply for was hurt. I want to help her… but I really don't know… how. I tend to make things worse." Beetlegeuse gave her a forlorn smile. Anissa was touched. Over the past few years she'd known him, she hadn't seen any other side to the bitter poltergeist than sleazy drunk.

"Well, who said you gotta do anything at all?" His brows knit together and he started to protest.

"Look, men always want to fix everything. Women don't need that. We can fix our own problems. Just let her be upset. Let her cry and be angry," Anissa knocked on the counter. "Bring her a baseball bat so she can trash somethin'. Hell sometimes _makin'_ her scream works too." Beetlegeuse's eyes darted down and Anissa giggled

"She must sure be something to make the great lady killer Beetlegeuse blush."

"It's not like that." Anissa gave him a knowing look and shrugged turning to get a drink from someone down the bar. He felt the barest tingle run through him. Kaitlyn must have taken off the ring and either slipped it back on, of given it to Lydia. Either way he figured it couldn't hurt to check on things. He paid his tab, even leaving Anissa a bit extra for her advice.

When he arrived back at Lydia's mirror, she was sitting at the vanity already. His eyes caught the sight of the ring he had given her as a way to travel to the Neitherworld without him on her finger.

"Lyds…?" His voice was shaky as he sat across from her. Her face was red and puffy and she looked panicked but she still didn't seem to register that he was there. He looked at Kaitlyn who stood nearby, looking as confused as he felt.

"Do you see anything, Lydia?" Kaitlyn probed, staring straight back at him. Lydia shook her head. Beetlegeuse's chest throbbed dully. He pressed his forehead against the glass and closed his eyes.

"When was the last time you took the meds?"

"It's been about a week I guess." Kaitlyn wasn't a doctor but she supposed it was possible that since she had been taking them for years, it may take longer than that for them to be gone from her body. It would take her years to heal from the blow this would deliver.

"She has to say my name." Beetlegeuse whispered. Lydia studied the ring on her finger. It had been so long since she had seen it. Delia had taken it from her when she insisted it was how she could visit him. Beetlegeuse opened his eyes.

"Get her to call for me. Three times." Kaitlyn looked unsure but placed her hand on Lydia's shoulder. She met her eyes and decided it would be ok to push a little harder.

"You imaginary friend, what was his name?" Lydia shook her head and laughed once without humor.

"I don't remember, it was so long ago." Lydia gazed back up into the mirror, unsure how to feel. She ran her fingers through her hair and pulled it into a bun, looking more like the Lydia he remembered.

"She's lying. She knows my name." He murmured. Kaitlyn tried again.

"Ugh, you're such a liar. You're just embarrassed and don't want to tell me." Beetlegeuse knew the girl was trying to help him, but couldn't help the stab of jealousy he felt over their friendship. Lydia gave Kaitlyn a weak smile and groaned.

"I can't. When I was a kid that's how I had to summon him. I don't think it's a good idea."

"Look, if you can go this far, I think you'll be safe. So far, so good, no ghosts." Lydia froze. She stood up and slowly backed away from Kaitlyn out of the room, shaking her head.

"I never said he was a ghost." Kaitlyn's jaw tightened as she floundered for a response.

"Oh fuck." Beetlegeuse stood up to pace around the room.

"Lydia, I- I meant like a ghost from your p-past. It's just an expression." Kaitlyn followed her and tried to wrap her arms around her but Lydia pulled away and started to cry.

"This was a mistake, I can't do this." She was blubbering. "Just leave me alone!" Lydia walked back into her room and locked the door. She felt like she was losing her mind, she couldn't handle anymore insanity this week. She leaned her back on the door and sank to the ground. Kaitlyn knocked on the door gently and tried again tentatively.

"Lydia? Just tell me his name. I promise it will be ok. I'm right here." Lydia shook her head, staring at the ground.

"Beetlegeuse." She hadn't said his name in years. It tore a hole in her chest, unable to understand how she could be mourning the loss of someone who wasn't real. Beetlegeuse was glued to the vanity,

"Come on, babes! Just a couple more times." Kaitlyn paused.

"What? I couldn't hear you." Lydia rubbed her temples and stood up. Cracking the door just a bit, she looked at Kaitlyn.

"Are you trying to trigger an episode? I seriously don't understand why it matters. I'm going to bed. In the morning we're going to pretend today didn't happen." Kaitlyn looked like she wanted to say something more but thought better of it and nodded.

"I'm sorry, I'll drop it. I thought I was helping. Good night Lydia." Lydia nodded, closing the door and shutting off the light. She sat on the edge of her bed and stared into the mirror. Beetlegeuse watched helplessly from the vanity, wanting nothing more than to envelop her into his arms.

"Oh, babes…" Lydia walked over to the vanity and picked up the half bottle of whiskey from on the bottom shelf. Sitting, she took a sip and pulled down her bun. His Lydia had always been so strong; Delia would pay for her part in what she did to her.

So they drank together. Whenever Lydia drank, Beetlegeuse did a shot. He resigned himself over to what his afterlife would be now. Lydia would probably start taking her meds again, this was probably the one chance they had.

When Lydia had finished, she was fairly intoxicated. Staring into the mirror, she watched the tears start to roll down her cheeks. Even with Kaitlyn she was alone. She had always been alone. For a moment she considered that she wasn't. Even if it had all been in her head, she was happy.

"Beetlegeuse." He yanked his head up from where it rested leaning on his elbow, a few stray tears of his own tracing their way down his face. Lydia looked overwrought and he worried that it was too much for her. The room started to spin and she focused her energy on making the mirror stay still.

"Beetlegeuse." In an instant was holding her. Lydia bawled into his shoulder and he carried her to her bed. Breathing her in, he kissed the top of her head. Something broke inside him with the way she clung to him.

"You're here. You're here." She didn't care if he wasn't real; all that mattered was that he was there. The way her body shook against him enraged him.

"I'm never leaving you again." He growled into her ear. She buried her face into his chest, not caring about the cockroach that crawled out from inside his jacket. The musty earthy aroma of his body was like ambrosia for her soul and she finally felt whole. In the morning when she took her medicine, she was going to hurt like hell but tonight for the first time in years, Lydia got a good night's sleep.

She had had too much to drink and her emotional exertions had left Lydia exhausted. It didn't surprise Beetlegeuse how quickly she fell asleep. He didn't mind at all. She slept soundly curled up against his chest. He had moved only once before she settled to take off his jacket. He had one arm wrapped around her and used his opposite hand to push the hair away from her face so he could study her more clearly. Tucking the hair behind her ear, he stroked her face with his thumb.

She was so damn beautiful. He had watched her over the last month but for the most part tried to respect her privacy since that first night. He still had caught glimpses of her in less clothes than he knew she would be comfortable with. He thought about what Anissa had said earlier, about making a woman scream… Beetlegeuse turned away to look at the ceiling.

This was Lydia. Not some fast fuck off the street. Lydia, who was passed out drunk and probably still believed he wasn't real. He felt dirty and not in the usual way that he typically enjoyed. There was a part of him, and he wasn't entirely sure how long he'd felt that way, that wanted Lydia. He knew it was wrong. He knew she would never feel the same. He knew it was too late. So he simply pressed his lips to her forehead again and fell asleep.

Lydia woke up leisurely. The last few nights had been extremely cold and she couldn't bring herself to move away from the warmth of her bed. Her head felt like it weighed a ton and the events from the night before were fuzzy around the edges. The sound of light snoring drew her away from her thoughts. Her body tensed as she realized she was wrapped around an apparition from her past. She remembered calling for him but she didn't imagine he'd still be there. _Well, that's it. I kept pushing and now I've snapped my mind in half._

She drank him in slowly, taking in his disheveled appearance. He looked just the same but he seemed somehow smaller to her. Lydia supposed that it was because she had grown significantly since the last time she had had an episode and now he looked to be only a few years older than she was. She knew the hallucination wouldn't last, that eventually she would have to take her meds. He felt so real against her through.

She hesitantly ran her fingers over his chest. He wore the same sangria collared shirt that he used to under his striped blazer. It was untucked which was unusual. It had ridden up, exposing part of his stomach. Her fingers stopped at the edge of his shirt, barely brushing the skin underneath. She had never seen him without his shirt on and was surprised to see thick silver blonde hair leading down into his pants. She had never thought of Beetlegeuse as a man in that sense. She knew about the one night stands but she never saw that side of him. Her face flushed and she pulled his shirt back into place.

What did it say about her if the imaginary ghost she hung out with regularly had one night stands? Is that what she had cynically subconsciously believed in? She was sure that information had played a role in why none of her relationships lasted very long.

She decided it would be safer to keep her eyes north. His silver blond hair was knotted with bits of green mold around his hairline. His skin was a few shades paler than her own with dark circles around his eyes. Lydia let out a small gasp when she realized he was looking back down at her. She had missed those jade eyes terribly. Neither of them seemed to know what to say. Neither quite ready to face reality.

He lifted his hand, his movements towards her languid, as if afraid she'd pull away. Lydia flinched as her touched the side of her face and he paused. He started to pull his hand back but she caught it in her own and pressed her cheek into his palm, not meeting his eyes.

"Why would you do that? Flinch. Tense. Run. You can't possibly believe I'd hurt you." His words were gentle, not accusing but simply probing. The sound. She had heard his voice in her mind for years but it had nothing on the real thing. Her eyes welled with unshed tears and she hid her face by laying her head on his chest. The sound of his voice had followed her for years. At first she clung to the memories, after time they had only become more painful. She reveled in the sound now.

"Because you aren't real and I'm seriously fucked up. Because I'm so lonely that I'm hallucinating about my make-believe friend holding me in bed. Because more than anything I wish you were real and it's pathetic." Beetlegeuse wrapped his arms around her and squeezed.

"Babes, I'm real. Juno said Chucky and Delia were probably drugging you even before they took you away. It's why you couldn't call me. I didn't know." He murmured, burying his face into her hair. "I had no _idea_ what happened to you. The only thing Juno knew was that you weren't dead." Lydia didn't respond mostly because she didn't know how. Either her brain was reasoning out excuses to justify imagining him or he was telling the truth and either way there wasn't anything she could say.

"Hey, you up?" Kaitlyn knocked on the door and Lydia reluctantly moved to pulled herself up. Beetlegeuse resisted for a moment, unwilling to let her go but relented after a breath.

"Yeah, come in." Kaitlyn opened the door and stopped, taking in the sight of Beetlegeuse sprawled out on Lydia's bed with raised brows.

"I guess the reunion went well." Was all she said as she sat down next to him. Lydia's jaw dropped and she grabbed Kaitlyn's shoulders.

"You can see him!" Kaitlyn nodded. "He's real?" Her eyes snapped back to Beetlegeuse. "You're real!" Looking back at Kaitlyn, Lydia roared at her, furrious. "How long have you known?" The vast amount of time and energy wasted over the years to suppress him weighed heavily on her. Her father and Delia had stolen years away from the most important relationship she had had, and drilled it into her for years that it wasn't real.

"Since yesterday. That's why I dropped the milk. I'm sorry, I just didn't want to push you. I don't know what those doctors did when they poked around in your brain and I wasn't trying to make you have a meltdown." Lydia whirled around rushing to Beetlegeuse and threw her arms around him, apologizing over and over again. Beetlegeuse just held her, happy she was finally home.

"Lyds, _I'm_ sorry. I felt so helpless, there was no way for me to contact you. Of course you thought I wasn't real, I wasn't there when you needed me most." Lydia was overcome with happiness. She would never be alone again. He pulled back to look at her. "That won't happen again."

"You're real! Don't apologize! You're here and you're real and I never have to take that nasty shit again!" She untangled herself from Beetlegeuse, having just realized something important and left the room without a word. Beetlegeuse stood up and pulled on his jacket. While adjusting his sleeves, he looked at the person he had feared replaced him, now secure in the belief that this wasn't the case.

"Thanks, kid." Kaitlyn nodded, still wary of the idea of ghosts. She wasn't convinced she had done the right thing in bringing them together, despite her friend's elation, but she wouldn't be the reason they stayed apart.

"She's obviously happy. I couldn't just let her live thinking there was something wrong in her head. She's my best friend… Or was anyway. I suddenly get the sense I have to learn to share with a dead guy who honestly looks like he's into some shady shit." Beetlegeuse smiled.

"I'm not the kind of guy who usually likes to share, but I guess I'll make an exception since I do kinda owe ya." He winked at her. Kaitlyn chuckled and leaned her head back.

"Y'know, I'm actually not surprised. Lydia Deetz is exactly the kind of girl who would be friends with ghosts."

"I imagine you were going to tell us you finally got through to her?" Kaitlyn screamed when she saw the giant spider and skeleton in the mirror, watching them angrily. Lydia returned with the bottle of pills she was prescribed. She grinned at Beetlegeuse and poured the entire bottle in the trash. When she noticed Jacques and Ginger, the tears started flowing on both sides.

"Though I know I should be wary, still I venture someplace scary; Ghostly haunting I turn loose… Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" Ginger hugged Lydia to her with all eight of her arms. Kaitlyn's jaw dropped upon seeing Lydia disappear into the mirror. Beetlegeuse smiled again, offering her his arm. She shook her head.

"This is where my limit is. I'm gonna go get breakfast." Lydia shot Kaitlyn an apologetic look but Kaitlyn waved her off.

"I'll be in town for a few more days, go celebrate... not being crazy." Beetlegeuse shrugged and disappeared into the glass. The moment Ginger let go, Jacques swept her into his embrace.

"Mon cheri! Ai 'ave missed you tairribly, zis placé 'asn't been le same since you left. You 'avé grown to bé quité lovely." He twirled her around to look at her in her old scarlet spider web poncho which now only came up to her waist and Beetlegeuse grabbed her hand, pulling her to him. Wrapping a territorial arm around her waist, he turned to them.

"I was going to tell you, alright? She only just saw me last night." His eyes dipped down to meet hers. Something felt different between them. There was an intimacy in the way he gazed at her that made her stomach squirm. He was still the same Beetlegeuse so why did she suddenly feel so shy?

"Oh Lydia, I'm zo 'appy you're haire. Bee-tellgeuse 'as been a wréak. He camé all la time to check een case you came 'ome." Lydia blushed and Beetlegeuse clasped a hand on Jacques's shoulder as a warning.

"No, Bones. It was just on my way home and I'd rather be here than listening to you and Ging trying to drive me nuts." Jacques shot him a knowing look. Ginger jumped up on Lydia's shoulder.

"We should have a party! It's been too long since we've had any reason to celebrate." Jacques nodded but Beetlegeuse immediately answered.

"I don't know, Lydia might need time to adjust and-" Jacques nudged Beetlegeuse's shoulder and put his hands on his hips.

"Oh don't be ridiculous! A partay eez a marvelous idea." Beetlegeuse pursed his lips and looked at Lydia. She smiled and laid a hand on him shoulder.

"I'm fine. Really. I haven't been here in ages, a party sounds great." He sighed and gave a curt nod, having wanted more time alone with her. He slipped her hand off his shoulder and held it in his own protectively.

"Alright zen, Gengair you take Lydia to le mall and gét ze partay supplees." Beetlegeuse tightened his grip on her. She squeezed back. "Bee-téllgeusé ét ai will get food et drinks, we'll all meet back at la roadhouse." He let go of her and leaned back to a lounging position in the air.

"Fine but keep it quiet, alright? Don't need a million people in my house." He grumbled, floating behind Jacques after peeking at Lydia one more time.

"Beetlegeuse, did you _take a shower_?" Beetlegeuse smoothed down his freshly washed and combed hair while looking in the hall mirror of the roadhouse. He shot Ginger a dirty look.

"Well, it's been a while and I figured with it being a special occasion and all, I oughta look the part I guess." She stared at him suspiciously but couldn't imagine any prank Beetlegeuse could possibly pull by taking a shower. She shrugged and returned to spinning the delicate webbing that would be hung around the room for the party in a couple hours. Beetlegeuse had been known to take showers, however they usually were forced on to him.

"Well I can't say it isn't a welcome change. Lydia said she'd be back around 8 after she eats dinner with the other breather. She gave me the details while we were out. This whole business with making her believe she was sick is heartbreaking." She sprinkled a handful of fine silver glitter across her work, giving it the effect she wanted. Beetlegeuse busied himself mixing a large black cauldron of punch.

"Yeah, well lets just focus on the fact we've got her back." He poured in a much more liberal amount of rum than Ginger would have prefered but not enough that she thought it was undrinkable. Ginger crawled up a wall and motioned for Beetlegeuse to help her hang the decorations. He raised an eyebrow at her and she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Does this mean you're going to cut back on the drinking and whoring around?" Beetlegeuse looked indignant at her shot towards his character, but didn't protest. Jacques came around the corner carrying a CD player. After setting it down, he gave Ginger a hand setting up.

"Baby stéps, Ging. Ai believe a showair was maire than any of us éxpected." Beetlegeuse felt like they were ganging up on him and shoved him hands in his pockets as he watched them.

"How many people did you guys invite to this thing anyway?" Ginger shared a look with Jacques.

"Not many." Jacques said causing Ginger to laugh. Grumbling, Beetlegeuse retreated to his room to finish getting dressed.

"I hope this was a good idea…" Ginger whispered as Beetlegeuse floated down the hall out of sight. Jacques extended a bony hand out to her and she accepted it.

"Zis eez good fair 'im. Hé's bécomé zo isulatéd since 'e lost hair, a partay lik zis will givé zém both a chance to loose up. Bee-tellgeuse used to bé ze definishe-on of partay animal and zis mairneng 'é lookd as if 'e'd rathair watch paint dry. Ai think eet eez working already. Ai mean, 'é willing-lee took a showair!" Ginger gazed around the room with a sad smile. She had enjoyed the change in him at first, because he stopped pulling pranks all the time. The longer Lydia had been gone though, the more bitter and morose he had become. She and Jacques had tried several times to pull him back but to no avail. She had begun to doubt he would ever fully heal. They all missed Lydia, but no one took it as hard as Beetlegeuse.

"Yeah, you're right. I just can't help feeling worried. What if Lydia is too different, or doesn't want to spend all her time with dead people anymore. What if it makes him even more depressed than he was before?" Jacques sat on the couch and lowered Ginger onto the cushion beside him, considering her concerns.

"Eet eez a vairy real possibilitay zat shé's not la same girl she was. Leedia eez all grown up and recovaireng from a décade of trauma-inducing thairapy. She probab-lee feels maire than a lit-tell lost. But she eez steehl Leedia. Did you see la wai she lit up when she saw us? Eet will take a zum time, but shé eez an incredib-lee strong young woman." This comforted Ginger and she decided that even if he was wrong, they would find a way to adjust.

The party was in full swing when Lydia was able to get back. She opened the door to BJ's Roadhouse as she had done so many times before. Kaitlyn had been more than understanding but still felt she'd rather stay in the land of the living. That suited Lydia just fine. This place was hers.

Inside it was gloomy, lit only by a handful of small candles caught in glittering spiderwebs that hung around the room. There must have been a couple dozen ghosts, ghouls, and monsters milling around, some dancing, some drinking. She recognized most of them. Music played loudly enough for to allow for dancing but not loudly enough to stifle to flow of conversation. It wasn't overly crowded though, the dancers moved seamlessly. She slipped in quietly, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

She saw Ginger dangling off the shoulder of a creature with four legs talking to some woman dressed in a purple sequin dress similar to Ginger's own. Next she saw The Monster Across the Street twirling the Monstress around. Lydia was pleased that the two of them were still together. Jacques was arm wrestling in the corner with someone he probably worked out with. Her eyes finally settled on what she searched for. She saw him sitting leaned back in an old armchair on the far side of the room with his legs crossed.

Her breath caught in her throat as she took him in. He was striking. A cigarette hung from his lips. He wore solid black slacks and all of him seemed surprisingly clean. He seemed terribly bored, adjusting a button on the sleeve of his wine colored collared shirt.

Beetlegeuse had waited patiently amidst the crowds of unwelcome house guests. Every so often he'd look to the door for the one person he actually wanted to see. Maybe she'd decided it was too much after all. He wouldn't blame her if she had. He'd give it a few more minutes before he went to check on her.

"Deadly-vu." The words slipped out with a small smile curling her lips and Beetlegeuse's gaze connected with hers in an instant. She was ethereal. Lydia wore a floor length black dress with a delicate scarlet lace sheath over it in pattern of a spiderweb engulfing her body. The dress dipped modestly into her cleavage and he found the effect more alluring than if it had shown more skin. She wore her hair up in intricate twists and curls that reminded him of Medusa's snakes coalescing on a blood red spider-lily above her left ear.

"Deadly-vu, indeed." Beetlegeuse had slipped through the crowd feeling a smile of his own take over. He scooped her hand in his and started spinning around the floor with her. Lydia wrinkled her nose.

"What?" He asked playfully. She shook her head and giggled, the sound was its own kind of music to his ears. She encircled his neck with her arms.

"The way you smell. It's nice, but it's not you. You look handsome Beej, I mean that's not strange but you didn't used to get all cleaned up like this for a party." He chuckled, wrapping a hand against the small of her back, pulling her closer so he could whisper in her ear.

"You are _devastating_, babes." His breath was cool on her skin, making her shiver. "But that's nothing new." Lydia bit her lip, not knowing how to respond. They slow danced in silence for another minute until Beetlegeuse dipped her backwards.

"I didn't know you could dance like this." She sounded breathless. He liked hearing her this way.

"I didn't either. I've never had a partner I cared enough to try it with." She wasn't sure how to feel about the way he was looking at her. On the one hand, she delighted in his attention. Time stretched so long between them and she was pleased he had missed her as she as she had him.

On the other hand, Beetlegeuse had never looked at her like that before. All they ever had was friendship, the last thing Lydia wanted was to be part of his long line of conquests. Just another notch on his belt. Of course, he'd always been a flirt. Maybe he had no feelings at all? Perhaps his attention was merely an acknowledgement that he didn't see her as a child anymore.

What of her feelings then? She had only just found out Beetlegeuse was real. She could hardly grasp ever having believed otherwise as he twirled her around in the center of his home. On top of that, Beetlegeuse was dead. She would continue to age and he… would be the same. Would she still hold his interest when she was 40? 60? Knowing Beetlegeuse she wondered if he'd still be interested next week. So, where did that leave them? Her eyes were filled with questions, none of which she dared ask.

"Knock it off, Lyds." He rolled his eyes and let his gaze roam around the room. Pulled from her thoughts, she eyed him innocently.

"What?" He sighed facetiously, dipping her again.

"Overthinking it." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, smoothing out the worry etched on her forehead, ignoring the curious looks from Jacques and Ginger. Both had been trying to watch them inconspicuously and failed. He doubted Lydia had noticed however. "It's just me, babes. This is us. We can go as fast or slow as you'd like, I'll be here regardless. No one expects you to jump into your old life. They just want to know the you you are now." Her stomach unclenched as he spoke, not having realized she had been stressing about that exactly.

Beetlegeuse supposed they had danced for three songs when Jacques cut in between them to claim a dance from Lydia. She smiled apologetically back at him as Jacques led her away. He lit another cigarette as he watched them, making certain the old bag of bones kept his hands above board. He was so consumed with watching Lydia he didn't notice Tamara until she hooked onto his arm.

"Beetle! Are you ignoring me? I don't think I've ever seen you look so debonair." Tamara crooned, staring up at him. He didn't respond just pulled his arm away without taking his eyes off Lydia.

"So that's the breather, huh? She's not much to look at." He glared at her.

"What are you doing here? I know Jacques or Ginger didn't invite you." She was dressed in a dark blue dress that left nothing to the imagination.

"I've got friends throughout the Neitherworld." She gave a little wave to an irritable man leaning beside a woman Ginger spoke to. "Someone invited me, and I couldn't resist the chance to dance with you."

"I'm not a great dancer, sorry to disappoint. You oughta get out of here. Part of our arrangement is discretion." Tamara pouted her lips at him.

"I've been watching you drool all over Wednesday Addams over there for 15 minutes. Is that what does it for ya? Look I haven't seen you since you stormed into Juno's office. I want to know why ever since then, one of Juno's men has been tailing me. I too, value my privacy Beets. You aren't the only man in my life, through you are my favorite." She winked at him, hugging his shoulder. Beetlegeuse grunted and his eyes flicked to Lydia, whom had definitely noticed Tamara draping herself over him. Lydia's expression was indecipherable.

He wrapped a hand around Tamara's arm and pulled her down the hall. When he got her into his room, she threw herself onto him. Planting violent kisses up his throat searching for his mouth. She kicked off her heels and tried to wrap her legs around his waist. Beetlegeuse was caught off guard but quickly pulled her away.

"Are you fucking high? You've become waaay too attached to this. Coming to my home? No. I don't know why your boss would put a tail on ya, maybe it's because of one of the 'other men' in your life. But this is over. I've had enough of this psycho shit." Tamara's jaw dropped.

"You can't be serious!" He threw his hands up and laughed.

"Get out. Don't come around here again." She wound back and slapped him across the face as hard as she could.

"This shit, whatever it is that you've got going on, it's disgusting! You think you can just replace me with some fucking breather?" Tamara collected her shoes as he stood there staring at the ceiling. "Don't think this is over." She stomped past him.

"Don't," Beetlegeuse grabbed her arm and pulled her around to look at him. "Forget what I told you. You stay the hell away from her." Tamara locked eyes with him in a searing glare before spitting on his shoes and slamming the door behind him.

Beetlegeuse sat down trying to figure out how his afterlife went from tedious to this complicated in the span of a couple days. Given Tamara's insinuation that she associated herself with the kinds of ghouls who would use his weaknesses against him, he probably should have handled that differently. If he'd been smart, he would have kept Tamara close and happy. Seeing her in the same room as Lydia though…

Lydia filled his mind. He wasn't sure why he suddenly felt so embarrassed. He hadn't gone out of his way to hide his flings in the past, Beetlegeuse was sure she'd seen the tell-tale signs of his one night stands before. If fact, Beetlegeuse remembered Lydia showing up out of the blue once just as two of his conquests were leaving. Then, they had just laughed it off, now he felt guilty, as if he'd been caught doing something wrong. He shook it from his mind as he rejoined the party.

Lydia stood off to the side with a drink talking with Ginger. He stood across from her, feeling unworthy to be an addition in her world. What could he ever give her that would compare with the smallest gesture a breather could? Surely after all the madness she had endured, Lydia would want a normal life. Normal relationships and friends. As if she felt his gaze, she looked up and smiled. God, that smile. It was going to be his undoing. He smirked and waved at her. The movement drew her eyes to his neck and her face fell almost imperceptibly to anyone except him.

Beetlegeuse glanced over to the hall mirror nearby and saw the lipstick smudges trailing up his neck. Fucking Tamara. Why couldn't things just be easy like they used to be between them? When he looked back, Lydia had disappeared. He did his best to wipe the marks off as he made his way to Ginger.

"Where uh, where'd Lydia go?" Ginger seemed uncomfortable. She clearly didn't like whatever Lydia had said.

"She said she wasn't feeling well. She slipped out the back." Beetlegeuse immediately turned for the door. "Beetlegeuse, I don't know what's going on between the two of you and I have a feeling neither of you do either. I don't know what you're hoping to gain but just don't do something stupid, ok? We just got her back." Beetlegeuse wanted to say something snarky, but instead just waved her off. He wasn't in the mood for her nosy opinions.

Lydia must have summoned herself back home directly instead of walking the long way. He arrived in her mirror to find it had been covered with a sheet. It reminded him vaguely of when he had first seen her when she returned. He squinted and just barely could make out the slightest outline of Lydia on the bed with her face buried in a pillow. He knocked gently on the glass.

"Lyds…" Lydia rolled over and stared at the sheet for a moment. "Let me out, babes." She pursed her lips and called him through. He floated nearby with his hands behind his head and legs crossed, staring at the ceiling. Lydia sat up pulling a pillow into her lap.

"No offense, babes but the last time you left without saying goodbye, it was the worst thing that ever happened to me." Beetlegeuse spoke softly. He didn't try to disguise the hurt in his voice.

"You seemed to have sufficiently diverted yourself in my absence." Her voice was toneless, but the words bit into him. He wanted to snap back at her about her not fighting harder to get back to him but he knew that wasn't fair. He took a few calming breaths before floating down to eye level with her.

"Last time I checked, I was a single man in his prime years, babes. Do you have a problem with that?" He was inches from her face and as infuriated as he was, all he wanted was a breath away. She bit her lip again and looked away.

"I'm tired Beej," The use of her old nickname for him had an electrifying effect on his body. "I don't want to fight with you. I'm sorry for ducking out. I guess you were right, I just need some time to adjust. It's a lot to take in and I probably shouldn't over do it." He considered her for a long moment.

"I'll go." She looked like she wanted to argue so he pressed a finger against her lips. "Look, we've both had a long couple of days, y'know? Spend time with your friend, get your head together. There's no pressure. I'll be here when you want me. In any capacity, whether it be like this," He brushed her hair away from her face. "Or we pull a prank on Claire Brewster." She smiled ruefully, deciding not to share that bit of information yet.

"Goodnight babes. Call me, I'll be here in an instant." He held her hand and kissed it softly, disappearing a second later.

"Goodnight…" She whispered into the empty room.

Lydia stared at the ceiling, dazed. Her hair was still pulled up in the intricate arrangement Kaitlyn had made. Her dress laid on the floor where she had chucked it after Beetlegeuse had left. Even wearing an old black t-shirt and shorts she was still acutely aware of his touch. She glanced over at her alarm clock. One am.

What the hell was she supposed to do? Why the hell did she even can about the scantily clad woman who Beetlegeuse clearly hadn't been happy for Lydia to see? She thought about the way they had danced together. In all the time she had known him, he'd never looked so serious. Lydia tried to think through the logistics of this new relationship with Beetlegeuse. Yesterday he was a figment from the imagination of a disturbed young girl; today she was slow dancing with him. And then there was the fact that he was dead.

She had always been fascinated with death. Her life had been a dark room for as long as she could remember. The only time she hadn't been clad in black was during her time with Dr. Inghram. She said it was an unhealthy attachment tied closely with her delusions. She made Lydia wear pastels. Lydia cringed thinking of the first week she'd been at the facility.

Dr. Inghram had taken all of her clothes and replaced them with ones deemed more appropriate. Lydia's response had been to come to breakfast that morning wearing only her undergarments. She learned quickly that rebellion was swiftly met with consequences. Solitary confinement for a week. She refused to eat or take her meds, once she even tried to kill herself, and the Doctor retaliated. She was bound with bed restraints, fed and medicated intravenously.

Lydia was sure it couldn't be legal, the things that happened it that place, but as a schizophrenic, she wasn't entirely sure what had actually taken place or what was hallucination. Days seemed to disappear and the drugs clouded her mind. She called for Beetlegeuse again and again… and he never came. As negative reinforcement, everytime she got caught calling for him, Dr, Inghram gave her a teaspoon of brown liquid that made her nauseous, sometimes even vomit.

After awhile, she stopped calling. She stopped expecting him to come for her. She stopped fighting back. Now… he was there. She could see dead people and she wasn't crazy. She was of course overjoyed… but also felt strangely stressed by it all. Or was that a normal response? Kaitlyn found out and she was handling it. Lydia decided that she was done thinking about it for one night. She needed to relax and get some sleep.

She glanced over to where the sheet still covered the mirror. Satisfied she was alone, she reached into her bedside table and pulled out a six inch red vibrator.

She teased the outside of her underwear, enjoying the feel of it through the fabric. When she finally dipped it inside, a low moan escaped her lips. Getting herself off was something she was used to by that point. She closed her eyes and imagined Adrian, the lead in a erotic horror series and her favorite go-to for getting off quickly.

They were together in his gothic tower, only candles illuminating his tanned features. He raked his dark brown eyes over her body. Taking her into his arms, she let Adrian do what he wanted. His hand slipped up her thigh, possessively caressing her skin as they kissed. She imagined digging her fingers into his black hair, yanking him down to taste her. _You are devastating, babes._ Lydia blushed and shook her head, focusing again on Adrian's green eyes. Her fingers curled into his blonde hair… Brown eyes. Black hair. _Nope._ Lydia sighed and opened her eyes. She never had this much trouble before.

She glanced at the mirror. He _had_ been pretty handsome earlier. The way the Roadhouse had been decorated _was_ much better than Adrian's tower… _No one will know._ Taking her time, she let herself appreciate the way Beetlegeuse had looked. The serious way he watched her. She hadn't been in a relationship for a long time, she couldn't remember the last time she was held like that. She focused on just his eyes as she got closer and closer… Her orgasm came quickly and rocked her slender frame, calling out his name. She bit her lip and threw the blanket over herself, rolling over.

Beetlegeuse stared at the vanity bewildered. He had left Lydia a few hours ago to walk aimlessly around the Neitherworld. He hadn't wanted to go home because he was sure it was still filled with people and he didn't think staying with Lydia was a smart idea. She had called him though. He felt it as soon as she called his name. He could see the outline of her body on the bed, apparently asleep.

"Babes?" He called out cautiously. Beetlegeuse wasn't sure how to proceed, which was a state of being he had found himself in more and more lately. She rolled over and yawned sleepily.

"Mmn...Yeah?" She mumbled sleepily, as if he had just woke her.

"You called me." Lydia tried her best to inconspicuously pull her shorts back up under the covers and got up to take the sheet from the mirror.

"Huh? I'm sorry," She stretched and yawned again. "I must have said it in my sleep." He felt suspicious wasn't entirely sure why. Beetlegeuse examined her more closely. She wasn't wearing the dress anymore but a long t-shirt and a pair of short shorts that were in their own way sexier than when she was dressed up. Her skin looked slightly flushed. He supposed it was possible she had been sleeping, he just couldn't imagine why he would have heard it.

"Must have been a shitty dream." He teased her lightly. She giggled and it seemed that the tension from their earlier conversation had mostly dissipated.

"Actually it was pretty great." Lydia smirked. Beetlegeuse wagged his eyebrows at her suggestively and she snorted.

"I figured you'd be back at the party entertaining your guests." He shrugged and dug his hands into his pockets. "Wanna come in? Just to… I don't know, talk, I guess. We haven't really had the chance yet." Her voice sounded vulnerable, as if she thought there was a chance he would say no.

"Lay those B words on me, babes." Lydia smiled and called him though.

…

"You mean to tell me that she's a goddamn waitress?" He laughed maliciously, scooping a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Lydia sat cross legged on the bed with Beetlegeuse stretched out beside her. They easily slipped into their old roles, it felt almost as if she had never left. Almost.

"Yeah, it was bizarre. We talked for a while, apparently Pruedence and Bertha both moved years ago to different states. She's the only one who stayed." She sighed, staring out the window.

"Why _did_ you come back, babes?" Beetlegeuse couldn't wrap his head around the idea that she would want to come back to a place she had disliked so much when she was younger.

"I guess I never got over this place. Even though I thought you weren't real, this is still the only place I felt I belonged. I didn't fit in back in New York. Even with Kaitlyn. Plus I couldn't really claim to be better if I couldn't be here without having a mental breakdown." Lydia picked up a picture of Kaitlyn and her from her nightstand.

"Don't get me wrong, she's great. She just doesn't get the weird stuff though. She tolerates the crazy hours I keep, didn't even get upset when I nursed a baby brown bat back to health even though she had to permanently give up use of our hall closet." Beetlegeuse rolled his eyes, some things never changed. "But she doesn't get me. Not like Ginger or Jacques. Not like you." The look she gave him was unreadable.

"Being with you, it's effortless Lydia." Her breath caught upon hearing him use her full name. He reached out a hand to lace his fingers with hers. Studying her delicate hand tucked into his, he continued, "When we met, I figured you were a way out. The Neitherworld is my prison. Look, I don't know if I ever told you this but when I'm in the living world, I'm geo-locked to about a twenty mile radius of whoever called me through. When we started hanging out, I really didn't care what we did as long as I was out of there, y'know?" Beetlegeuse knew he had not in fact shared this information with her, he had never wanted her to feel like he was just using her.

"So I was just your get out of jail free card?" Lydia didn't sound offended but rather like she was skeptical. Beetlegeuse rolled his eyes.

"Yes, no, see that's what I'm trying to tell ya, Lyds. After a while, it was only about you. I didn't care if you wanted to spend the whole day here in the Neitherworld as long as I got to spend it with you." Lydia leaned her head on to his thigh and yawned. The alarm clock claimed the sun would be up soon but she couldn't believe it was already morning.

"Why? I was just some kid." Lydia couldn't fathom why the suave spirit had ever been interested in hanging out with a preteen from a boring town.

"That is exactly what I said, babes. Jacques said that because of my time with you, I was _nicer_." Beetlegeuse pretended to gag. "Happier. I didn't see it at first but of course that useless bag of bones was right. I kept asking myself, 'Why? She's just some kid. Why do I enjoy hanging out with her so much?' The answer is obvious now looking back." She turned to peer at him through her tired eyes. Beetlegeuse stared down affectionately at the woman who held his whole world and didn't even know it.

"It's because you're amazing, Lyds. You're fierce and loyal and you've got this plucky sense of morality that is both aggravating and endearing. You draw out the best in me which, in of itself, is a hell of a feat because I didn't think I had it to begin with. You had this self driven stubborn nature and you never let me get away with anything." He ran his fingers through her hair as she considered him dubiously.

"You make yourself sound like this tragically doomed villain when you and I both know that you can do the right thing as it suits you. You don't need me for that." Lydia tried to sound light and reproachful to derail what she felt like was the beginning of dangerous territory.

"I'll always need you, Lyds." There is was, that pining gaze. He wore an easy smile but his eyes spoke to a depth of feeling she wasn't ready to examine.

"Beej…" Lydia sat up, looking away. Beetlegeuse wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Listen, my point is simply that you're the most incredible woman I know and if other people think you're 'weird' or don't belong, then they're fucking clueless." She laid her head on his shoulder. After a moment of silence, Beetlegeuse sighed.

"I do need a favor from you and I don't think you're going to like it." Lydia pulled away to stare at him. "I need you to stay clear of the Neitherworld. I made an exception tonight because I thought I had a handle on it but I probably only made it worse." He stood up to pace around the room.

"That woman from the party, she's not an ex or anything more like just a casual arrangement I had." He glanced at her warily. "She insinuated that because you're alive and because I care for you, you could become a target for people who want to get to me. I'm centuries old and I have patient enemies, babes. Just until I'm sure it's safe for you." Lydia got up to look out the window to hide her expression. The sky had begun to lighten, illuminating fresh bed of snow that had fallen during the night.

"Why are things different now? Why didn't they come before?" It wasn't as if they had kept their friendship a secret.

"Lyds, I took our time apart pretty hard. I'm sure there was plenty of ghouls around who regarded you as a pet more than anything else. I doubt any of them realized you actually mattered to me until you were gone." Lydia shook her head, trying to make sense of it.

"Why not come for you when you were vulnerable then?" He snorted.

"I was sad, not powerless." Beetlegeuse rolled his eyes. "Besides it wouldn't amount to much. Part of exercising a ghost is exerting your will on theirs. Getting rid of a fresh one? Easy. Me? Well, I'm the ghost with the most, babes." He leaned on her dresser and winked at her.

"Let them come for me. We can deal with it head on instead of looking over our shoulders until your enemies get around to it. We'll be harder to deal with together." Lydia turned to find Beetlegeuse had moved behind her.

"Absolutely not. You are not bait." He spat angrily.

"Don't I get a choice here?" She felt like a child again with him trying to protect her.

"Lydia, I won't be the reason you end up in my neck of the woods. For _any_ reason." Lydia raised her eyebrows. He wasn't talking about just this threat. They both knew any relationship between them wouldn't be viable while she was still alive.

"So that's where it stands then?" She was seething. Lydia had always hated it when anyone tried to make decisions for her. Especially now, after how powerless Dr. Inghram had made her feel in her own skin. Like he had said though, she was stubborn.

"You are going to live a long healthy life and do all the shit breathers can do. I won't be the reason all of that gets taken from you." He wrapped his hands around her shoulders and forced Lydia to look up at him.

"Maybe I'll die when I'm seventy, maybe tomorrow. You don't get to make that call." Lydia knew she was pushing him but she was too angry to care about how he'd take it.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Beetlegeuse lowered his voice but his tone was no less menacing.

"I know better than most." Lydia scoffed.

"You're just a voyeur, Lydia." He leaned his shoulder against the window and watched the sun rising over the trees. She took a deep breath and casually walked over to her closet. She wouldn't be coddled. Lydia Deetz was as strong-willed as her best friend was and if anyone could protect him, it was her. She decided to change tactics.

"I've got my breather jobs to keep me busy anyway." She said breezily, attempting to placate him. She pulled a long sleeved black tunic off a hanger and tossed it on the bed. She sifted through a dresser drawer, grabbing a pair of black slacks. "You don't have to worry about me getting into trouble."

"Forgive me babes, if I'm apprehensive of your sudden nonchalance." Beetlegeuse did a double take when he glanced at her. Lydia stared into her vanity as if it were nothing more than a regular mirror. She had already changed into the pants but was shirtless, latching her lacy black bra. He clenched his jaw, fully aware she was trying to distract him. One of the straps hung off her shoulder. He shoved his hands in his pockets and moved to stand behind her. Lydia smiled coyly at the glare reflected at her.

"I have enough on my plate to get involved in Neitherworld politics. Just stay safe, don't do anything stupid." Beetlegeuse sighed heavily and hooked his fingers under the bra strap, slipping it back into place. His hand lingered on her bare skin. A sharp rap on the door startled them both and Lydia turned away to finish getting dressed.

"Hey I figured we could grab a bite before you go to work." Came Kaitlyn's voice through the door. Beetlegeuse brushed his hair back with his fingers.

"Interruptions," He shook his head. "You know I hate 'em." Lydia giggled.

"Nah, I don't have time. Come here and help me undo whatever you did to my hair." Kaitlyn walked in wearing only a tank top and a pair of boxers. When she saw Beetlegeuse her eyes went wide and she crossed her arms to cover up the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Oh. Hey spooky, uh good morning." He laughed and looked away from her. He wasn't opposed to the view, he simply didn't want to upset Lydia by enjoying it. She pulled Lydia in between her legs on the bed. "You two have fun at the party of the damned?"

"It was great. My friend Ginger made the place look like the inside of a crypt. I don't know what you did, but I can't untangle this thing." Kaitlyn smirked, digging her fingers into the thicket of her hair.

"Well that's what it's supposed to do. It's why I get paid the big bucks." Beetlegeuse lounged backwards floating in the air with his legs crossed.

"People pay you to put knots in their hair?" He asked her feigning interest. Kaitlyn blinked at him, slightly unnerved by his use of his powers.

"At least until I get a job back in New York taking pictures of gorgeous women." Beetlegeuse nodded as if this was a perfectly reasonable and respectable job to aspire to have. Lydia rolled her eyes.

"She wants to work for a modeling agency. Kaitlyn's sexual proclivities makes it an ideal hunting ground." Kaitlyn tugged on a strand of hair and hair and eyed her indignantly.

"I don't _hunt_ them, they beg for me." She crooned lecherously.

"I_ beg_ you to get over yourself." Lydia laughed and threw a handful of leftover popcorn behind her at Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn batted away her attack. Beetlegeuse floated down so he was eye level with Lydia. She shook her head, smiling.

"And here I thought I could add you to my resume." Kaitlyn mumbled. Lydia's face turned crimson and chewed on the inside of her cheek. Beetlegeuse tilted his head to the side and arched an eyebrow. "It's nothing." She brushed off.

"Lydia, I'm wounded." Kaitlyn winked at Beetlegeuse. He decided he liked the girl far less than before. The thought of Lydia in the throes of passion with another woman should have enticed him but he only felt a possessive stab.

"Oh, you're gonna be." Lydia muttered. Beetlegeuse was still looking at her, he seemed displeased. Lydia jutted her chin up.

"What? Last time I checked, I was a single woman in her prime." She said sardonically, daring him with her expression to reproach her. He scowled darkly but he kept his voice level.

"Right. Well I'm gonna take off, but you'll call me later?" Kaitlyn finished fixing Lydia's hair. Lydia stood, grasping his arm to pull him onto the ground.

"I'm actually going to be pretty exhausted tonight and Kaitlyn leaves in a couple days so we'll hang out after, ok?" He wrapped an arm around her and gave Kaitlyn a salute with two fingers as way of goodbye.

"Sure, babes. I need to handle things on my end anyway. I don't feel like walking back, send me home?" She said his name three times to transport him directly to the roadhouse. Lydia turned on Kaitlyn.

"What was that about?" Kaitlyn shrugged,smirking at her.

"What?" She asked innocently. Lydia put her hands on her hips.

"You made point of exposing a one time drunken encounter from years ago. And you were being hella flirtatious." Kaitlyn rolled her eyes, walking downstairs.

"Well you didn't go out of the way to clarify that, in fact you encouraged him to make his own assumptions. I did it because this is the second time in as many days that he's stayed the night and I wanted to see your reaction." Kaitlyn opened the refrigerator door, looking for breakfast. Lydia followed her into the kitchen, grabbing a banana.

" Why?" Lydia jumped up to sit up on the counter. Kaitlyn shot her a knowing look as she reached into the cabinet for a bag of instant oatmeal.

"Because now I know you haven't screwed yet but you want to." Lydia choked. Coughing and beating her chest, her face flushed again.

"_What?!_" Kaitlyn snorted. Turning her back to her to mix milk into her pot of oatmeal on the stove.

"Oh, don't bother denying it. It's obvious. You've had like a handful of actual relationships over the years and never once did you show that kind of interest. You never want them to hang out, in fact you usually don't bring them by the house at all if you can help it. Hell, I never even met Noah and you dated him for like four months." Lydia hadn't really even noticed it until that moment but Kaithlyn was right, she always went to their house so she could leave as it suited her. "You're practically oozing fuck-me pheromones right now."

"We are not talking about this." She said briskly, making a pot of coffee. Kaitlyn stirred her food then pointed an oat-covered spoon at Lydia.

"Oh we definitely are because this is super gross. I love you but Lydia, I watched him _eat _a_ cockroach_."

"There are countries all over the world that eat them." Lydia stifled a grin as she grabbed her grinder and bowl from one of the kitchen drawers.

"Yeah, for lack of better options, Deetz." Kaitlyn shot back at her. She poured a portion of the oatmeal into a dish and set the rest of it back on the stove for Lydia.

"They are actually incredibly nutritious." Kaitlyn's expression was deadpan as she watched her friend pack the small pipe and light it. Lydia handed it over to Kaitlyn with the ember still smoking. Kaitlyn quickly took a hit before it went out. "I've done it."

"Ok, gross but moving on- how about that he's at least a decade older than you, probably older than my grandad." She passed it back to Lydia, who sighed.

"We are not talking about this." Kaitlyn knew Lydia was smart enough to have already have considered it more thoroughly than she was letting on.

"He's got dirt and mold growing on him. Because he's dead. You nasty necrophiliac." Lydia roared with laughter, knowing Kaitlyn was mostly teasing. "Oh my God. You are beyond help. Can he even get it up? What if there's mold on his dick? Can you get pregnant from a dead dude?"

"Don't you kink shame me." She choked out in between bouts of giggles. "We are done talking about this." She wiped tears from her eyes and her sides hurt from how hard she was laughing.

"Ok, ok one more though- When he cums, would it be called 'erecto-spasm' or 'polter-jizz'?" Kaitlyn poked her thigh. Her eyes widened. "No! I've got it- 'specter nectar'!"

"You are deplorable." Lydia got herself a bowl of oatmeal.

Beetlegeuse sat at the bar of Despondent Moan, waiting to hear back from a ghost he often played poker with. The bar was somewhat busy this evening, much more so than he was in the mood for. Lydia hadn't called him through since he left her two days ago and he had used the time to find credence of Tamara's threat against him. He rolled his eyes as he thought about the last time he'd seen her. Lydia's little friend had pulled one hell of a power move. It was clear to him, if not to Lydia herself, that whatever dalliance the two of them had had, to the breather it was more. She was clarifying a claim she believed she held on Lydia, a warning to him without saying so implicitly.

He had to admit, he was impressed. She had just found out a whole other dimension of creatures and afterlife existed, that a powerful 600 year old ghost was best friends with Lydia prior to her friendship, and she had the balls to defend some breather claim. She of course was out of her league, but Beetlegeuse admired the tenacity. He didn't quite care for the way Lydia had blushed or how she'd thrown his own words back in his face. He knew that she must have had some romantic entanglements in their time apart, he just didn't want to hear about them.

His thoughts drifted towards the night of the party, as they had again and again since he left her. The way she looked at him… It felt intimate. It was illegal of course. A physical relationship between them. Juno would shoot through the roof if she ever found out he was even thinking about a breather in that capacity, he'd be fed to the sandworms for sure. Only if they were legally married would he be able to touch her. It was part of his binding, something she would never have to know.

Beetlegeuse glanced at the clock. 6:37. The guy was a half hour late. Tamara hadn't been seen at work since she confronted Beetlegeuse at the party. The guy he played poker with was a ghost named Altweather. Altweather was an investigator for the Department of the Recently Deceased, just like the tail that Juno had put on Tamara initially. She wasn't as stupid as he had believed though, she had the guy made the same day. Altweather wouldn't make the same mistakes.

Although Tamara had traveled all over the Neitherworld, the tail hadn't been able to discern much from the information he gathered. It seemed as if she had another full time job socializing with seemingly unrelated groups of ghouls that to the best of Beetlegeuse's knowledge, he'd never pissed off or some even met.

He had been trying to determine since Tamara had first insinuated it, who would benefit the most from Lydia's return. The obvious answer was the King. King Vincent, having ascended to the throne at 18, was 'Natus in morte' or born in death, something that only occured within the royal family. Vincent was still dead, but aged normally and would continue to do so until he fully matured around 30. If anyone was interested in Lydia's return, it would be his royal lowness, but he couldn't imagine the King ever harming her.

Maybe there wasn't anyone at all. Maybe Tamara was just a biozenist, one of those fanatics that despised the living. It wasn't often you saw someone like that in the Neitherworld, most of them didn't care either way about the living. Beetlegeuse's association with Lydia in the past had raised some brows, but he didn't remember anyone being outright biozenist.

"Heard she's damn fine too." Two ghosts floated past him to sit further down at the bar. Anissa walked over to get them set up. It was odd seeing her here. In all the time he'd been coming here, she was always the overnight bartender, coming in around 11pm. The last two times he'd come however, she was here during the day.

"Do you think it's even legal?" The ghost closest to him snorted. He was taller than the other, with greasy black hair and yellowed skin. The shorter one was equally unremarkable, ashy grey skin against short curly black hair.

"No, obviously not. Do you even know how much paperwork is involved if one _sees_ you? Thanks, honey." Anissa handed the pair two frothing beers. Beetlegeuse cracked his neck and checked the time again.

The time was 7:05 and Altweather still hadn't shown. Beetlegeuse wondered if maybe he wasn't being paranoid after all. Altweather wouldn't flake on him, he owed Beetlegeuse a gambling debt and Beetlegeuse told him they would be square. Maybe he was still tailing her. He glanced over at the corner where a game was being set up, debating whether he could make a buck while he waited.

"God though, can you imagine what one would _taste_ like? Slipping into a steaming hot cunt? He's a lucky son of a bitch…" Anissa's eyes darted at him nervously. Beetlegeuse raised a brow at her, looking around for whatever might have made her look ill at ease. When he caught her eye again she gave him a thin smile. He raised his glass to ask for more.

"You alright?" He mumbled when she came by. She chuckled as she topped off his drink.

"Beets, you're gonna make a girl blush." Her laugh was forced, she was clearly distracted. Beetlegeuse furrowed his brows but didn't push. They weren't friends; if she had something to say to him, she'd say it.

"Nah, you're just one of the few who put up with me. Hate to have to start over with a new bar. What are you doing here so early anyway?" If she didn't say anything, she didn't want his help.

"It's all good. Tony and I broke things off so he quit and now I'm short staffed. " She lowered her voice and leaned closer. "Been hearing a lot of talk about the company you keep though."

"Oh? From who?" Beetlegeuse inclined his head towards her, taking a sip from his glass. Even if Altweather didn't show up, perhaps he would find a lead regardless.

"Well, just a general rumble really. No one person sticks out." Her eyes looked pointedly at the two men sitting down the bar from him. They clearly had already been drunk when they got here.

"Honestly, I don't see how anyone could deal with a corpse like him. Maybe I'll show her a real man next time she comes around." The two men guffawed, one of them knocking over a beer.

"They're talking about…?" Beetlegeuse's eyes burned like fiery emeralds. Anissa spoke softly but her expression was hard.

"Don't make a scene…" Beetlegeuse glared at her in warning not to intervene. He stood up abruptly and strolled up to the men with his hands in his pockets.

"Hey boys, what's the word?" The men looked up in time for Beetlegeuse to grab the taller of the two. As he flipped the man around and slammed him on top of the bar, he tipped his head in the direction of the chair the other was sat in. The arms of the chair bent and twisted until they wrapped around the wrists of the other man.

"Oh, hey. You're the one!" The ashy man howled as he pulled against his restraints. Beetlegeuse smiled a wide toothy grin, letting his juice travel down his arm to the hand he was holding the greasy one's throat with. The man gasped in pain, clearly he'd only been dead for a couple decades or so.

"Hey Beetleman! How could you keep that sweet piece of breather ass to yourself?" He choked out defiantly. The man strained against the weight of Beetlegeuse's power. Anissa came around the other side of the bar brandishing the bat.

"Where you hearing this shit from?" He snarled at him. The bar chair that contained the other guy began slowly sinking into the floor as if caught in quicksand.

"What the fuck!" The ashy guy yelped. He redoubled his efforts to break free of the chair. The bar had fallen silent, the closest bar patrons backing up while the ones in the back barely even looked up. None willing to get involved.

"Geuse! Knock it off or you gotta go!" Anissa swung the bat towards him. Before it could connect, it dissolved into bats flying off around them. Beetlegeuse glanced up at her.

"Coulda done that at any time." She pursed her lips, crossing her arms. Turning back to the man on the bar, he turned his arms into two black and white striped snakes. The snakes slithered around the greasy man's throat and he lifted him into the air. The man whom's chair was halfway into the floor beeseached Beetlegeuse.

"Come on! Everyone is talking about it… He spun around. The guy he was holding crumpled to the floor, having blacked out. The floor solidified under Beetlegeuse's feet as he approached the other man.

"About what?" Beetlegeuse let the chair plunge quickly into the floor, leaving everything from his shoulders up still exposed.

"Jeez! You and the breather, man!" He shrieked. The taller man regained consciousness and jumped on Beetlegeuse's back. The bar rocked with the juice rolling off Beetlegeuse as he flipped the man off his back, slamming him into the ground. He placed his foot on the man's chest, pushing him into the floor quicksand. He roared addressing all the bar patrons.

"That breather is under my protection! Anyone who has anything to say about it will…" The door opened and a dainty woman with flowing silver blond hair walked in. She wore a simple long sleeved white tunic and black slacks. The only color to her was the floor length imperial purple cloak displaying the royal crest on her breast. Behind her stood three towering men with broad shoulders and black cloaks bearing the same crest.

"Will what, Beetlegeuse?" The dulcet tones of her neutral voice gave Beetlegeuse pause. He straightened without turning around, he flicked his wrist up, pulling the men out of the floor.

"Amaranth." He said her name as a way of greeting, sinking back into his chair to finish his drink. Aside from the two men Beetlegeuse has gone after, everyone did their best to go back to what they were doing.

"My lord requires your presence." Beetlegeuse turned and nodded at the woman, laying a few bills on the bar. Anissa huffed at him and her baseball bat rematerialized in his hand. Satisfied, she took it from him. Before turning to leave, he placed his empty glass in front of the greasy man.

"Keep your fucking mouth shut." He muttered, bringing his face within inches of the other man. The man shook his head and scoffed, feeling emboldened by the presence of the King's men.

"Fucking biophile…" Beetlegeuse's fist connected against his face, knocking out one of his eyeballs. It landed in someone's glass of beer, darting around, focusing on nothing in particular. Beetlegeuse turned, adjusting his sleeve. With a flourish of his arm, he gestured to the door.

"After you."

…

"Beetlegeuse! So glad you could join me." King Vincent sat on a stone bench in the middle of the royal gardens. Beetlegeuse found it peaceful; black briars climbed up the walls, wild and untamed they dominated the space. Lydia would love it. The King was under one of many bare willow trees.

"Didn't particularly give me a choice." He grunted, shoving his hands in his pockets. The King stood, indicating with a wave that he wanted Beetlegeuse to walk with him. Lydia would be shocked how different he was.

At 27, the young King was a hair taller than Beetlegeuse. Slender but statuesque, with seafoam skin pulled over his tight features. A short boxed beard making him look much like his father had before moving on. The most notable change being Vincent's ability to control his emotions.

"It's vexing that you didn't immediately disclose Lydia's return. It chafed further to learn you invited her into our realm without soliciting my approval." King Vincent paced the path with his hand resting behind his back. Amaranth followed at a respectable distance to ensure the King's safety as well as his privacy.

"I didn't realize Lydia would require it." He responded, keeping pace beside him.

"No, of course Lydia is welcome to come and go as she pleases. What I want to know is why I had to hear the report from the head of the Department of Neitherworld services, and not from you." Beetlegeuse brushed his hair back with his fingers, trying to think of a response. "We had an agreement, Beetlegeuse. I granted you amnesty from all of your past infractions and leniency as long as you kept them under class D offenses and the damage minimal. I did this, back when Lydia frequented the Neitherworld, so you would keep me apprised of your comings and goings together. That was to ensure her safety." Beetlegeuse nodded.

"Your majesty, I meant no disrespect. The time apart has been hard on both of us. She's adjusting. I thought it best to wait until she was ready before I presented her to you." He struggled to sound polite. There was no one in the Neitherworld that didn't know better than to show the King the respect afforded to his title. King Vincent paused to peer at him.

"You've known about her for over a month." He squirmed under the King's watch, tilting his head to scratch the back of his neck. Vincent hadn't summoned him in years, the last time he saw him was a few months before he became King.

"Yes, but I only made contact recently." King Vincent grunted and continued forward.

"Yes, I've read the report. You shouldn't have blindsided me like this. Not only is she seen as your weakness, but mine as well. When she was a child, it was much easier to ensure her safety because the living ignore what children have to say about the dead. She is now an adult. Lydia's return puts us in a difficult position." The King stopped to stare at a statue of his father.

"I'm not sure I follow." When he didn't continue, Beetlegeuse prompted him for details.

"Tell me, is she… involved with anyone?" Beetlegeuse really wished he had an answer to that question. Not knowing how the King would respond, he simply leaned a hand against the base of the statue studying a crack on the side.

"With respect, I don't think that's really your business." The King laughed at his impertinence; it was one of the few things he enjoyed about Lydia and Beetlegeuse. They both lacked the desire to please him, as if he were just their equal.

"It is. You are my subject, she is a living breathing masterpiece." Beetlegeuse chuckled, shaking his head in response to the question.

"You must understand, I trust Lydia implicitly. Members of the council and aristocracy, however, are apprehensive allowing a member of the living to walk among us without certain security measures in place." The mention of royal court made the King bristle.

"Security measures?" Whatever it was, clearly the King didn't agree.

"It's for her protection too. I cannot protect her otherwise, now that she is of age." The King paced back and forth. "I will make Lydia a member of my court. No one will dare touch her." His assurances only made Beetlegeuse more leery. "Your majesty?"

"She will have one of two options." King Vincent placed a hand on Beetlegeuse's shoulder. "Either marry a Neitherworld citizen," He turned his face away to stare at the ebony sky. "Or submit to having all memory of the Neitherworld and its inhabitants wiped from her memory." Beetlegeuse sank against the statue into the dirt.

"But she never caused problems… He shook his head. Lydia had already been through so much.

"The only tolerable solution is a union. It will bind her to our world. She will be able to move through the veil at will if she marries an ordinary citizen. I have argued a probationary period of one month. After time runs out, she will have to make her choice." He knelt down to be level with Beetlegeuse's face. "You should be made aware, I intend to be the first suitor."

Kaitlyn had left only an hour ago and Lydia had immediately decided to go back to the Neitherworld. Kaitlyn had insisted she stay out of it when Lydia explained to her what Beetlegeuse had told her, but Lydia figured that had more to do with her unease with the idea of the Neitherworld itself. Lydia felt a stab of guilt thinking about Kaitlyn. The worry written all over Kaitlyn's face made her stomach churn. The memory of their argument was still fresh in her mind.

"What?" Kaitlyn turned her face away as she continued packing. Lydia had been animatedly describing the Neitherworld and places therein she had been as a child.

"I have never heard you talk like this about anything." Kaitlyn sounded miffed. Lydia shrugged, sitting on the bed beside Kaitlyn's bag. Kaitlyn ran her fingers through her auburn hair and put a hand on Lydia's shoulder.

"I'm gonna level with you, Lydia. He's dead. I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here. I really get that he's important to you, but I understand why your parents were worried and they didn't even know he was real. Jesus Christ, Lydia, I know I was teasing you about it the other day but did you ever once consider how fucking creepy it is that a _grown man _followed you around when you were a kid?" She scratched her head and looked at the floor. "I can't help but wonder if sending you away is the only reason you're still alive." Lydia was staggered.

"How can you even say that!? They drugged me!" She exploded at Kaitlyn. For the past week, Lydia had wrestled with how to feel about what her parents had done. She knew Delia was probably to blame but it wasn't her betrayal that hurt, it was her father's. She was too afraid to ask Beetlegeuse if her father was around because she still hadn't figured out what she wanted to say to him. Lydia shoved off Kaitlyn's hand and stood eye to eye with her. "I was having full on panic attacks every time I even started to _think _about him! They all had me convinced I was sick! That I spent my childhood all alone. He's not a creep! He never once was inappropriate." Kaitlyn flinched at the anguish in her voice.

"Lydia, that's literally how creeps operate. They groom their victims when they're young so when they get older it seems natural. Look, I want you to think about the future." Kaitlyn's voice shook. She tried her best to sound reasonably but the words came out sounding like a whine. "Where can this even go? What happens next? You keep living your life and disappear into the Neitherworld as it suits you?"

"Beetlegeuse is part of it. The Neitherworld is part of it. I know all of this is a lot to take in, but this is something you're going to have to get past." Lydia would not back down, not again. She wasn't a confused child anymore and this boundless repetition of everyone trying to control her choices was getting old. "He would never manipulate me like that."

"Look, what I mean is-" Kaitlyn interjected and paused, fumbling with her thought. She felt that she had to make her feelings clear before Lydia dismissed her entirely. "Romantically."

"Kat, it's not like that with Beetlegeuse. He thinks he's Casanova but Beetlegeuse doesn't _do_ long term, and I would never jeopardize our friendship for a quick fuck." Lydia tried to soothe Kaitlyn, but the words held a bitter ring.

"I don't care what_ he_ does or_ he_ wants. It's you I'm concerned about." Kaitlyn countered, throwing her hands up. Lydia sighed, turning her back to walk over to the vanity and pack her pipe.

"I'm elated to have him back, but I know anything past friendship is impossible." Lydia inspected her pipe, as if there was something terribly interesting about it, so she could avoid Kaitlyn's eyes. She lit the end, inhaling deeply. Kaitlyn sat on the edge of the vanity, probing Lydia's face for any indication that she was getting through.

"I don't want you to be hung up on some guy who you can't be with. You should focus on living people." Lydia rolled her eyes, looking disgusted. She took another hit from the pipe without offering it to Kaitlyn, as she usually did.

"I get what you're saying and I appreciate your concern, but it's not really your business." Lydia chided coldly. Kaitlyn was a great person, but Lydia knew she would never be able to understand how she felt. She thrust the pipe and lighter into Kaitlyn's hands forcefully. Kaitlyn bit her lip, placing the pipe down.

"I want it to be." She responded in a small voice. Lydia regarded her, puzzled.

"What do you mean?" Kaitlyn pursed her lips, deliberating for a moment before she abruptly grabbed Lydia's hand and yanked her into her arms. Kaitlyn crushed her lips against Lydia's frozen ones and knot her fingers into Lydia's hair. Lydia broke the kiss, wide eyed.

"What are you doing?" Lydia squeaked.

"Maybe I could stay for another week… Maybe you can investigate other… options?" Kaitlyn suggested in a breathy voice. Despite Lydia's rejection, Kaitlyn was determined. Kaitlyn brushed a lock of Lydia's hair behind her ear. Lydia laughed uncomfortably and pulled away.

"Where is this coming from?" Lydia felt unsteady. It wasn't as if Kaitlyn didn't flirt with her, but Lydia hadn't met a woman Kaitlyn _didn't_ flirt with.

"I just… I thought I had more time! Now it feels like you're slipping away from me and if he was alive? I could probably deal because you might leave him one day, or you would maybe _live_ happily ever after… But if you choose a fucking ghost?" She stared down at her hands in her lap. "I just don't understand."

"So… what? You just wanted to go bang as many chicks as you could before you made a move? I'd just be here whenever you were ready?" Lydia sat on the carpet cross legged, grabbing the pipe as she sat. Kaitlyn looked startled.

"What? No. That 'experiment' a few years back? That was me making a move! You just acted like it was meaningless sex so I didn't want to push you." Lydia's eyes softened. She reached up to lay her hand on Kaitlyn's.

"I'm sorry, Kat." Lydia was unsure how to let her down. "I love you, you know that but-" Kaitlyn pulled her hand away, walking over to the bag on the bed and zipping it up. Kaitlyn turned, giving Lydia a tight smile.

"But I'm not him. Right. Look, I need a few days before we talk alright? Don't do anything stupid." Lydia nodded, mortified. She felt like anything she said might make things worse. She wrapped her arms around Kaitlyn in a stiff hug.

"Drive safe."

…

Lydia wandered down the sidewalk, trying to remember her way around. She wasn't sure where to even start, it wasn't as if Beetlegeuse had given her anything useful. She wore a long black jacket with a hood to keep from being easily spotted. She wasn't interested in arguing with Beetlegeuse if he caught her. She hadn't lied, not exactly. It was a talent she had learned from him and if he hadn't picked up on it, then that was his fault.

Lydia leaned against the side of a building, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jacket. Jacques walked on the opposite side of the street with Ginger on his shoulder. They hadn't seen her and she pulled her hood over her face as they walked by. As much as she missed them, she knew they wouldn't let her go around town alone.

She wasn't even sure what she would do if she found the threat on her own. She had no special abilities, she wasn't particularly strong. Lydia knew it was selfish, but more than anything, she just wanted to enjoy being back. She didn't care about the danger. She and Beetlegeuse had faced abominable odds in the past, she was now even more capable than then.

This was her home. There wasn't a single place in the living world that made her feel as at peace as she did when she was here. The only thing Lydia worried about was if her spirit would move straight on after she died.

Thinking about her own death reminded her of the office Beetlegeuse's former colleague, Juno worked at. She imagined no one else would have a better record on Beetlegeuse and his enemies. She adjusted the collar of her hood and started towards the Department of the Recently Deceased. Lydia had never met Juno, but they way Beetlegeuse described her made Lydia believe she was about to meet Medusa.

Juno's waiting room was as full as ever, but when she approached the frazzled looking secretary, he immediately knew who she was. He barely looked up from the form he filled out, except to express his indignation.

"I'm only filling in until they find Juno's usual secretary. You and your friend sure know how to make a mess of things! Y'know, some of these ghouls have been waiting for _over_ a week. But you breathers! Just walk in and expect to see her without an appointment, I suppose?" He glared at her over a pair of glasses that had slid down his nose.

"Actually, I only had a couple questions for her. Unrelated to… my… case?" Lydia wasn't sure she even had a case but she hadn't really thought of what she was going to say when she came in here. The secretary snorted.

"Unrelated? HA. Lucky for you the King has specifically requested everything in regards to you and your case are to be Juno's priority. Go on through." He dismissed her without another glance. There was a dull rumble of displeasure from those who had been waiting. Lydia apologized as she slipped through Juno's door.

"What the hell are you doing here? I _told_ him to keep you home." The long suffering woman sighed, taking a drag of her cigarette as she sifted through a pile of forms on her desk. Lydia eased into the chair across from her.

"I won't take up much of your time. I know the two of you were partners once, I wanted to know if you knew who might come after him." Juno looked up from her paperwork to give her a withering look. The way her eyes bore into her was unsettling. Images of Mrs. Shannon staring down her nose at her filled her mind.

"You can't be serious. There isn't anyone I can think of who _wouldn't_ want that creep thrown into a sandworm pit. Don't you think he and I have already been trying to figure that out? If I knew, it would have been addressed. Have you spoken to the King yet?" Lydia's eyebrows knit together.

"Vincent's father? What has he got to do with this? I figured that it had come up, I just thought I would do some digging on my own." Lydia twisted the little ring on her pinkie. Having it back on her finger alleviated some of the anxiety that she had come to deal with regularly. Juno bristled at Lydia's informality.

"It is with _King_ Vincent's blessings you are authorized to be here." Lydia's jaw went slack for a moment as she processed this new information and nodded.

"I will indeed speak with him once we're finished here." Lydia asserted, trying to sound competent. Juno crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, taking another drag of her cigarette. Smoke poured out of the large slit in her throat.

"Why, Ms. Deetz? Why come back here at all? You'll be eventually, Beetlegeuse will probably still be here. Why involve yourself in the affairs of the dead? You should be living your life!" Lydia had had enough. Still feeling raw from this morning, she felt emboldened to raise her voice in forceful reply.

"Beetlegeuse is the best part of my life and I'm tired of people trying to dissuade me from his company." Juno blinked. She couldn't fathom what Lydia Deetz could possibly find so appealing about Beetlegeuse's company. She wasn't entirely sure what Beetlegeuse was getting out of it either.

"If it was up to me, you would have had your memory erased the first time he dragged you into the Neitherworld." Juno resumed filling out the paperwork on her desk. Lydia hadn't known that this had ever been a possibility.

"Why didn't my memory get erased?" The idea of never Beetlegeuse had ever existed was strangely comforting against having thought she had made him up, as miserable as the alternative was.

"Because King Thelonious said so. I don't question, I do as I'm told!" Juno pinched the bridge of her nose. "As you should have when you were told to stay on your side until this mess was sorted. I'm an extremely busy woman and I do not appreciate being at the beck and call of Beetlegeuse or his… whatever. If you have an actual problem, Beetlegeuse has a handbook. After you speak with the King, then come see me. Until then-" Juno gestured to the door. Lydia stood but moved no closer to the exit.

"Wait! I-" She paused, unsure how to phrase the question. "Do you know about… my father?" Juno hesitated, drawing heavily on her cigarette. Lydia held her breath, not daring to hope she could see him.

"Charles Deetz passed straight on. I'm sure he only wanted to help you, I can't imagine he knew the damage that he was causing." Juno told her as tactfully as her could manage. Death meant so much to the living.

"Thank you, Ms. Juno." Lydia turned to leave but Juno cleared her throat. Her eyes pitied her.

"If I were to give you any advice, Lydia Deetz, it would be to go home. Forget you ever came here. This time it will be on your terms. Your 'friend' isn't the best role model. As a child, looking at someone through rose colored glasses, red flags just look like flags." Lydia left without replying.

It had become evening in the Neitherworld. The streetlights had come on and there was a dull whisper from the crowds of ghosts and ghouls making their way around the streets. Physics didn't seem to apply to the Neitherworld in the usual sense, and light pollution had never affected the view of the night sky.

Lydia sat on a bench, staring up at the sky. She never understood why Beetlegeuse couldn't stand it here. She wished her camera worked here but the pictures she developed always came out black or distorted. The limitless void shimmered with a brilliant canopy of stars and a clear view of the planets. The luminous swirls never visible to the naked eye at home, made her breathless.

"You're his breather." The gruff voice snapped her away from her adoration. Before her stood a man in his late forties, wearing a green military uniform. His silver-flecked black hair was neatly groomed, cut short and tapered. There was a hint of five o'clock shadow and dark circles around his icy blue eyes.

"I'm _a_ breather, yeah." Lydia corrected, arching a brow. She pulled her hood back up and stood to leave. The man smirked, sitting down next to where she had been.

"You're the breather. I recognize you from the party. Lieutenant Colonel Altweather, ma'am, but you're welcome to call me Pierce. 'B-man' is… well not a friend." He extended a hand for her to shake but Lydia only stared at it warily. He dropped his hand, unoffended and smiled politely. "He said he was going to keep you stateside."

"Lydia Deetz. I don't know how much he told you about me, but I don't sit at home." Lydia said in a clipped tone as she crossed her arms. Lydia's cheeks felt hot. She wondered how many people viewed her as Beetlegeuse's pet breather in need of protection and coddling. Apparently even some she'd never met. Altweather chucked, standing up.

"Nah, I can't imagine any woman on par with Geuse would stay clear of where trouble abounds." Lydia thawed significantly at his words, it was the first positive thing anyone had said about the two of them. "Well come on, I'm on my way to meet him." Altweather offered his arm to Lydia. She bit her lip, looking sheepish.

"Oh, uh I-" Lydia stuttered. Altweather grinned, shooting her a knowing look.

"Doesn't know you're here, yeah, color me surprised. I'm not terribly interested in this whole business, but I was an officer, ma'am. I wouldn't have a lady go unescorted whether or not the threat is deemed credible." Altweather's eyes twinkled with amusement. Lydia found the old soldier's charismatic disposition quite likeable.

"I appreciate it but I'm not-"

"Or-" Altweather interjected, "At least that's my excuse so I can walk around town with a beautiful woman on my arm." Lydia giggled shyly.

"That's sweet of you, but I must insist. I'm actually on my way to see the King." Altweather shook his head, still smiling.

"Fair enough. Let me walk you-" Altweather scooped up Lydia's hand in both of his. A ghost behind him caught Lydia's eye.

"You said you were at the party, do you know that woman?" Lydia pointed to Tamara walking down the opposite side of the street. Altweather swiveled around, placing Lydia's body behind his own.

"I need to follow her, but taking you would thrust you directly where you shouldn't be, so would you _please _meet Geuse over at Despondent Moan? It's a bar just a couple blocks that way. I'm sure he'll take you to see his Majesty." Altweather started after Tamara without waiting for a reply. Lydia trailed behind him, doing her best to keep her movements muffled.

"I think we both know I'm coming." Altweather guffawed, glancing back at her.

"You're as much of a handful as he is, aren't ya?" Lydia smirked. Tamara hadn't noticed them. Her hair was tucked under a gray wide brimmed hat and the clothes she wore were modest and muted in color; she clearly was trying to be inconspicuous. They followed far enough behind that Altweather was sure that even if Tamara turned back, she wouldn't notice the two of them.

"So, you _were _a servicemen? Why are you still wearing your uniform?" Lydia waved her hand towards Altwearther's appearance.

"Well, when you die at first it's whatever you were wearing, after a few years it's just whatever you feel most comfortable in. Kinda an outer projection of your inner self. I suppose I never stopped being a military man. The only difference is these don't have three bullet holes through it." He fingered his left leg thoughtfully, remembering a lifetime long since passed.

"Oh, is that what happened?" Lydia bit her lip, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"Yeah, Korean war. I made it through a MASH unit but my injuries put me out of commission. Got sent home but later passed from wound complications." Altweather straightened, his eyes focused on Tamara as she turned a corner. Lydia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she mumbled an apology. "Oh it's been many years now. I imagine your parents hadn't even been born yet. I wasn't married and my parents had already gone, I didn't leave anyone behind. Actually, I got to see them." His features softened.

"No one really talks about how it happened for them. I always figured it was rude to ask." Altweather tucked Lydia's hand into the crook of his elbow while they walked, considering his words carefully.

"Well, for some it's a quite personal, especially if it was unpleasant. I've gotten over it. Though I think mostly through they've forgotten." Tamara crossed the street, turning down a road with less traffic.

"Forgotten?" Lydia probed. She knew they should be focused on Tamara, but not even Beetlegeuse talked about this kind of thing with her. When she was young, she hadn't really asked, but Beetlegeuse always managed to steer the conversation in another direction if she did.

"The longer you're dead, the harder it is to hold onto the living world. I can't imagine why you'd want to, either. Being dead is so much easier. Memories fade, unless they're particularly potent, but even those eventually go. Geuse is what? Like 4-something? I doubt he remembers anything." Lydia had never given much thought to the man Beetlegeuse had been before. To her, he had always been just Beetlegeuse. Surely he hadn't been born with that name though. She tried to imagine what he'd look like with a pulse.

"Actually I he once told me he was nearly 600." She replied absently, her mind trying without much luck to reconcile her image of a living doppleganger with the ghost.

"Pffft I doubt he even remembers the first few decades being dead then. I wonder why he hasn't moved on. Usually they do after a couple hundred years, maybe the odd ghost staying a little longer. Never heard of someone staying that long though." Altweather scratched his chin, pulling Lydia behind a building as Tamara stopped outside the south side of a vast stone wall.

"I wonder how he died." Lydia pulled her hand away, trying to get a better look. Tamara appeared to knock against the side. There wasn't a door or any discernible edge that they could make out but the darkness didn't help.

"Depends where he lived. He didn't live in America. 600 would sit him somewhere early 1400's. Probably England or Scotland." Altweather gestured to another alley between two buildings up the street that was closer. A panel on the wall swung open, revealing a guard. Tamara slipped inside. "Where is she going? The only thing past that wall is the castle."

They made their way across the street to lie in wait for Tamara's return. Lydia took off her jacket, laying it over a couple wooden crates next to a dumpster, settling in, they lapsed into a comfortable silence while they staked out the castle. Eventually Beetlegeuse floated by looking bored. In his company was a beautiful woman with long silver hair dressed in elegant attire and three men clearly there to encourage Beetlegeuse's cooperation.

"I don't think Beetlegeuse is missing you Pierce." Pierce looked up briefly and ducked down out of sight. The group had no reason to suspect they were being watched, nor had either of them made a sound, but Beetlegeuse's eyes flicked to where they hid. He didn't appear to have noticed anything unusual, continuing without pause.

"I'm still not convinced she wasn't giving Geuse empty threats, she's known to be dramatic." Altweather said after Beetlegeuse had made it through the southern gate.

"You don't find going through a hidden door isn't suspicious? Do you think she knew Beetlegeuse was coming?" Altweather rolled his eyes and stretched.

"Doubtful. She isn't exactly… Well Geuse isn't the only man she… She's a pretty busy woman. There are any number of people she could be visiting there, and none of them would want her to be seen going inside the traditional way." Altweather didn't seem comfortable calling Tamara a slut, but after seeing her wrapped around Beetlegeuse, Lydia didn't share his qualms.

"We could go inside. I'll talk with Vincent while you snoop around." Lydia suggested. Altweather mulled the thought around for a moment before dismissing it.

"Nah, too conspicuous. Besides, when Geuse sees you, I'm sure he'll be loud enough to let the whole castle know we're there. Best just wait for her to come out. I'm thinkin' I might give her the ol' Altweather charm. I bet she can't resist a man in uniform." Altweather wiggled his eyebrows at her. "She loves to gossip and she's not exactly bright so I figure if I complain enough about Geuse, she'll let something slip." Lydia giggled, leaning her head against the side of the building.

"Oh, the sacrifices we make." She teased. Altweather only winked at her. Lydia walked around the L-shaped alley, trying to occupy her thoughts. Time dragged by slowly, she was sure an hour had passed but when she checked her phone, only about thirty minutes had gone by since Beetlegeuse had gone in.

Altweather sat patiently, watching her in amusement. Lydia smirked, turning down the corner into the rest of the alley. There was another dumpster, this one piled with refuse. A backdoor to one of the buildings was cracked slightly and Lydia could faintly hear music playing somewhere inside.

Lydia backed away to go stand with Pierce, when two men came crashing through the door. Lydia could tell from their raucous laughter they were pretty drunk. They were both a little taller than her, one with long dirty blond hair matted past his shoulders leaned for support against the dumpster, the other's head was shaved, grinning lopsided at her. He was missing at least three teeth. He nudged his friend and they both stared at her. Lydia nodded politely, moving out of sight around the corner.

"Hell-o lovely." The bald one drawled, coming around the side. Altweather stood up, putting his body between them.

"She's not interested." Altweather jerked his head out of the alley, indicating for Lydia to leave him. The blond man stumbled around from the alley opening, having gone back inside and come out the other end to head her off.

"Well, I'm interested." He said nearly incoherently, laughing as if he had said something terribly clever. Lydia spun around trying to push past him. The man with the shaved head rushed Altweather, swinging at his face.

"Shove off!" Altweather dodged, thrusting his elbow into the man's side. Pain flashed over his face but he recovered quickly, tripping Altweather and throwing him against the dumpster. Lydia saw the blond man grab for her and she darted backwards deeper into the alley. The bald man grabbed her from behind and Lydia slammed her head head back into his skull as hard as she could. His grip loosened and she broke free.

"Get the fuck off me!" Lydia growled as the blond man lurched towards her again. Altweather swung at the bald man as they closed in around her, uppercutting him. Lydia's fist connected with the blond man's jaw and she heard a muted crack in her hand. He fell backwards but quickly recovered. Both men laughed again, as if enjoying playing with them.

"Gentlemen, lets just calm down now." Altweather tried diplomatically as he pushed Lydia against the wall gently, shielding her body with his own. The bald man grabbed a cracked board off of one of the crates and smashed it against Alweather. The blond man yanked Altweather up and slammed him head first into the brick wall. He fell to the ground, unmoving.

"Pierce!" The bald one grabbed her by the throat and pushed her off the ground. She grabbed his forearms and swung her legs as hard as she could. The blonde man scooped her up by her legs, carrying her down the other end of the alley.

"Come'ere, sweet little breather! We just wanna see what everyone's been talking about!"

"Fuck you! Beetlegeuse Beetlegeuse Beetl-" The bald one conjured up duct tape over her mouth. They heaved her body against the dumpster, easily holding her in place.

"Shut up, bitch." The bald one held her wrists far apart, making it more difficult for her to jerk around.

"Get her pants, I can't let go with her bucking like this. What if he does find out?" The bald one pulled out a knife and slit her pants down her leg. Lydia screamed through the duct tape as he yanked her pants away. Blood gushed where her pants had been cut, having given no concern to how delicate living tissue was.

"Oh-ho! She wants it bad! Don't worry about him, his powers are bullshit." The blond man rubbed his fingers between her legs and ripped off the black lace underwear she wore. Lydia whimpered, still trying unsuccessfully to wrestle away. He transferred her other wrist to one hand, holding both wrists securely in one hand.

"Hold still honey." He grunted in her ear as he started to unbuckle his belt. Lydia bucked hard against him again, still trying to fight back even though she knew she was sorely outmatched. She closed her eyes, pretending she was somewhere else. A feral sound ripped through the alley behind her, and the air crackled with electricity.

"Shit!" The bald one yelped before Beetlegeuse ripped his head clean off. Black and white striped snakes slipped out from Beetlegeuse's pants leg. Lydia glanced behind her as much as she could. Beetlegeuse's eyes glowed with bright green flames. His distorted expression was filled with a cold fury that left him unrecognizable. Behind him on the ground she saw the snakes crawling into the decapitated head through his mouth and eye sockets.

Beetlegeuse grabbed the man on top of her by the back of his neck and slammed his fist into his spine, snapping it. The man screamed but the sound was soon cut off into horrified gurgles as the skin beneath Beetlegeuse's began to melt as if touched by an extremely corrosive liquid. The body splattered onto the ground and the sickening squish reminded Lydia of rotten fruit. She slipped off the dumpster into Beetlegeuse's arms, wondering vaguely if she was able to die in the Neitherworld.

"You're ok, you're ok, I'm here. Say the words babes." He murmured into her hair, cradling her body against his own.

"Home home home." She rasped against him. They collapsed onto her floor. She fought the urge to throw up, the scent of rotting flesh inescapable. Lydia back tears as she tried to stand up. Beetlegeuse grasped her hand to steadied her and she inhaled sharply, realizing it was broken from where she had punched her assailant.

"You're safe now." She nodded, limping over to the bathroom. She turned on the shower and closed the door behind her. Lydia stood in the shower still in her shirt and bra, letting the hot water scream over her.

She inspected the gash on her leg. Blood still drained down her side but much slower than it had initially. It would leave a nasty scar but she could get by without stitches. She had lost a considerable amount of blood but she would recover. Given her medical history, if she showed up to a hospital like this, they would definitely put her on a psych hold. The hand she would have to have looked at. It was less likely to set off red flags though. She tried not to think about what would have happened a minute later if Beetlegeuse hadn't found her.

She stepped out, peeling off her wet clothes. After drying off and tending her cut with the first aid kit under the sink, she wrapped a towel around herself. Lydia peeked out of the bathroom, Beetlegeuse laid on her bed staring up at the ceiling. She clenched her jaw, facing him.

She could feel the heat of his ire radiating off him, despite the mask of cool nonchalance he wore. When she was younger, everything between them was easy and open. It was the two of them against the world. She knew he would be angry that she'd gone alone to the Neitherworld, what she hadn't expected was his silence. Beetlegeuse was obnoxious at times, stubborn to a fault and above all else- loud. The impenetrable silence consuming the room was maddening.

"I'm sorry. I'm ok, really I am. I just saw that woman from the party and… Pierce!" Her eyes went wide remembering the way he looked crumpled on the ground. Beetlegeuse raised his brow at her casual familiarity and shook his head.

"He'll be fine, he's already dead. Found him unconscious. He'll just wake up with a headache. Just like those motherfuckers. Means I'll get to tear into 'em again." The smoldering rage in his voice made her cringe.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, you told me and and… I didn't, I just-" Lydia's voice trembled and she hated herself for it.

"Knock it off, I shoulda known you were gonna pull some shit like that. Altweather isn't very powerful, I'm not surprised he couldn't protect you. That's why you need to stay clear." Beetlegeuse floated over to the window, standing up straight with his hand in his pocket. He leaned his arm against the glass and glared into the night.

The animosity pouring off of him was so alien to her that for the first time since meeting him, she was afraid. Lydia clamped down her fear and turned into her closet. She realized she had left her jacket in the alley on the wooden crates. Not that it mattered, she never wanted to see it again. She pulled a thin dark gray sweater over her head, leaving the towel wrapped around her torso. The last thing she wanted in that moment was to be sexualized, even by Beetlegeuse.

Sifting through her undergarments was unnerving. So many pairs of underwear were similar to the ones she had been wearing. Lydia took a deep breath, she resolved herself to not being a victim. Especially because it hadn't gone that far. She pulled a pair on without focusing too long on them. The black pants she slipped on were quickly secured tightly with a belt. She looked up to see Beetlegeuse had turned his head, studying her.

"We saw her go into the castle through a side entrance." Beetlegeuse's expression didn't change. She could tell he was making a conscious effort to control the anger writhing within.

"It doesn't matter. You aren't going to have to worry about it anymore." His tone was clipped. Lydia felt a pang in her chest watching him. She missed the dirty goofball who could always make her laugh. So much had changed in both of them.

"What are you talking about?" Lydia asked cautiously. Beetlegeuse shook his head with an exasperated smile and shrugged.

"It's out of my hands, Lyds. I don't get a say." Lydia crossed the room, stopping a foot away from him. Her eyes searched his but they only reflected her own. "The King has to answer to his council. The eggheads decided that it's too dangerous for a living adult to know about the Neitherworld. Especially since I roped your little friend into things." Lydia didn't understand. Beetlegeuse grabbed the bottle of whiskey behind Lydia on the vanity.

"No, Juno said-" Lydia whirled around to face him, stopping dead with an inch between them.

"You have been _busy_ today, huh?" He interjected bitterly. He handed her a glass. Ice emanated from where his fingers had touched it.

"She told me that Vincent decides whether or not I can go to the Neitherworld!" Beetlegeuse knocked back his own drink and pinched his eyebrows. She ventured a small sip. The burn on her tongue was comforting.

"Why the hell did you go see Juno? What have I ever said to make you think that visiting that crusty old biddy would be a good idea?" Beetlegeuse poured himself another drink.

"You can't expect me to just sit around while you deal with whatever is going on." Lydia growled, yanking the bottle from him.

"That's precisely what I expect. What do you think you're going to do!? Those creeps had the power of a couple gnats compared to me and if I hadn't shown up-" Beetlegeuse thundered darkly.

"If you hadn't sidelined me, I would have been with you!"

"If you had just stayed here-"

"No! I am sick and tired of everyone deciding what to do with me, what's best for me. I am a grown ass adult, Beetlegeuse!" Lydia slammed the bottle unto her dresser with enough force to crack it.

"Then act like it! Don't act so fucking childish!" He roared at her, throwing his glass against the wall. Lydia recoiled as if he had slapped her. A heavy silence passed in which Beetlegeuse wondered if he had gone too far. He let the anger drain from his tone."You make my blood boil, woman. Maybe the council's decision is what's best."

"What did they say?" Her voice was small. Beetlegeuse held out his hand and the glass reformed in his grasp. She picked up the half packed pipe off the dresser, looking around for the lighter. Beetlegeuse struck his finger like a match and held it up for her.

"They want to wipe your memories of the Neitherworld." Lydia almost choked on the smoke. When she regained her composure, she croaked out a broken protest. "Don't. It's temporary, you'll get 'em back after you die and trust me, the Neitherworld won't be much different. Your friend has already been dealt with I imagine. She probably won't remember being here at all."

"Vincent agreed to this? You agreed to this?" She screeched. Beetlegeuse shrugged, leaning back to float in the air. In the back of her mind, Lydia felt a small pang of relief that she wouldn't have to make up with Kaitlyn.

"He doesn't have a choice. Lydia, you almost got _raped _tonight! I just wanna keep you safe. You promised me you wouldn't go there without me!"

"I never promised! I never even said I wouldn't. There's no other option?" Beetlegeuse paused.

"No." He answered flatly. Lydia scrutinized his expression. He leaned back into the air, floating with a neutral expression.

"I want to hear it from Vincent." Her phone rang, breaking the tension. Lydia took a deep breath and answered brightly.

"Hey Kat!" Lydia stared at her reflection in the vanity, unsure how she felt. Kaitlyn deserved the truth, but wasn't this easier? "What are you up to?"

"Um… I don't know actually. It's the weirdest thing. I woke up on my couch and my- my head is fuzzy. I can't remember the last few days. Didn't I come to see you?" Lydia raised her brows at Beetlegeuse and he shrugged.

"Yeah… You slipped on the stairs and hit your head. The doctor said that you would have issues with your memory for a couple of days."

"Oh. Right. Of course. Clumsy me."

"You don't remember anything?" There was a pause.

"Nope. Why?" Guilt gnawed at her but she didn't waver.

"Just… maybe take it easy for a couple days. I'll call you tomorrow." Kaitlyn mumbled out a goodbye.

"You don't trust me?"Beetlegeuse looked at her expectantly. Lydia snorted.

"Because you've always been the epitome of honesty. Besides, Juno made it clear I needed to see him."

"She did, huh? Say anything else? Go visit any other ghouls on your little adventure?"

"How did you die?" Beetlegeuse was so caught off guard, he fell out of the air, slamming into the ground.

"What? Where the hell did that come from?"

"Pierce was talking about how it happened for him, he said you probably don't remember."

"Peirce. He told you about how he died? You did only meet him today, right? Pretty chummy with a total stranger." Lydia's cheeks turned pink and she crossed her arms.

"You won't tell me?" Beetlegeuse mulled the thought around, debating his words.

"He's right, I don't remember. Listen, the King gave us a month to… say goodbye. After that, if you enter the Neitherworld, they'll take your memories. So now you have a choice, lose your memories or just don't come back."

"Vincent said I could keep my memories if I stay away from the Neitherworld?"

"Not exactly. I'm working on that last part. Just keep your head down and I'll get it straight. Vincent still cares about you."

"Take me to see him, let me talk to him. Otherwise, I'll just go alone again." Beetlegeuse rubbed his chin, looking like the cat caught eating a canary."What is it?"

"I lied, alright? He didn't give us a month to say goodbye, he gave you a month… to marry someone from the Neitherworld." Lydia froze.

"I don't understand."

"If you marry a Neitherworld citizen, you become one of the King's subjects. He can protect you and the council will be satisfied. You'll be able to move back and forth without the mirror, without me."

"How will this make the council happy?"

"Because it will bind you. It will bind your soul. Speak to the living about the Neitherworld and you'll die."

"Ok I'll do it." Lydia didn't need to think twice about the decision. No one would be able to steal her life away again.

"NO! No. Lyds, no. You can't bind yourself to the Neitherworld, you've got your whole life ahead of you! You've got to go fall in love and have babies and other breather crap!"

"Though I should be wary, still I venture someplace scary. Ghostly hauntings I turn loose, Beetlegeuse Beetlegeuse Beetlegeuse." The pair materialized in the Neitherworld.

"Lydia, nothing has to change! Just stay at home, I'll still come see you."

"No. I'm telling Vincent we're getting married so they can fix this." Beetlegeuse froze. He had done his best to push the thought from his mind, but hearing the words from her lips unleashed a long-buried hunger within him. Lydia hadn't noticed the change and he quickly stamped down the feral desire warring in his eyes.

"Wait, what? I am not going to marry you, babes." Lydia rolled her eyes without looking back.

"Of course you are, don't be stupid." Beetlegeuse choked on a humorless laugh. Finally. _Finally,_ after centuries of hauntings and cons and waiting, he could break his curse and it had to be _her_. He tried for arrogant but his voice came out sounding half-strangled.

"I'm flattered, babes really, but I have no intention of giving up my bachelor lifestyle." They walked in silence. Beetlegeuse saw a few curious glances directed towards them and his expression darkened. "I told you that binding your soul is a goddamn death sentence. You don't understand the gravity of what you'd be agreeing to. I'm not gonna be part of it."

"Who else do you expect me to marry?"

"I don't. Might as well go home and find some breather if you're so desperate to be a blushing bride." He muttered.

"I have no interest in marriage. But if that's what it takes-"

"Did you go deaf while you were gone? I will find a way to fix this!" He grabbed Lydia's hands and swung her to face him. Her face came inches away from his own. "Babes, it's late. See the King in the morning, come to the Roadhouse. I know you've got to be exhausted. Let's just talk."

"I could just go home." She mumbled weakly. Beetlegeuse slid his hands up her arms and tightened his grip just below her shoulders. Lydia tried to look defiant. She didn't know he could feel her heartbeat, that it betrayed her to anyone standing within five feet of her.

"After tonight? Come on, Lyds. I won't be able to sleep if I don't know for a fact that you're safe." He knew Lydia wouldn't accept his pity, but she usually found his selfish whining endearing. A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

"I_ am_ going to go see Vincent tomorrow." She emphasized but Beetlegeuse ignored her, already dragging them towards his own home.


	2. Ch 11

**Well that took a loooooong while. Sorry guys!**

Kaitlyn leaned back on her couch, deflated. She couldn't wrap her head around how the last week of her life had been going. Lydia had always been such a strong, intelligent force of nature. Now she was arguing with Kaitlyn over her relationship with a ghost. A fucking _ghost_. Kaitlyn had been wrestling all week with a number of philosophical questions. Lydia just shrugged and told her not to stress about it, that death wasn't really a religious thing in her experience.

Lydia had essentially become another person entirely since she had stopped taking her medication.. Of course, it was great how happy Lydia was, she just found out that she wasn't suffering under a crippling mental disease. There was a light inside her now that Kaitlyn had never seen before. Kaitlyn almost felt guilty for upsetting her. On the other hand, why couldn't Lydia understand Kaitlyn was trying to protect her? The way she spoke about the world of dead things like it was disneyland was macabre to say the least. She felt pushed to the wayside in all of this, as if she was losing her best friend to the dead.

God, Kaitlyn wanted her. Her chest ached just thinking of her. Lydia never seemed to reciprocate the flirting, shrugging it off as playful banter. The one night they had spent together hadn't meant anything to Lydia, but Kaitlyn could still feel Lydia's porcelain skin eagerly writhing beneath her fingertips; could almost taste the sweetness between her legs. She bit her lip as her mind was gripped with the echoes of Lydia's delicate moans. She squeezed her eyes shut as hot tears began streaming down her face.

"Well looks like I picked the right time." Tamara stated dryly. Kaitlyn's body lurched forward and screamed. She couldn't get away from dead people.

"Who the fuck are you?" _How do you defend yourself against a ghost?_ Kaitlyn made a mental note to investigate the legitimacy of exorcisms. Tamara leaned against Kaitlyn's entertainment center.

"Hmm, a friend darling. You look like you could use one." Kaitlyn eyed the ghost warily. Tamara wore a tan blazer over a modest white blouse with a brown pencil skirt. Her hair was pulled in a tight bun, a look accentuated by a pair of glasses and a clipboard.

"What does that even mean? How are you here? How can I see you? Am I gonna start seeing dead people everywhere now?" Tamara did her best to look disinterested, as if she did this everyday.

"So many questions. I'm a civil servant dear, it's my job to be here. Your friend, uh…." Tamara pretended to check her notes. "Lydia Deetz put in a request to have your memories wiped of the last few days. Guess she doesn't trust you." Kaitlyn blanched and Tamara knew this would be easy.

"Lydia wouldn't do that." Tamara came to sit next to her, removing her glasses in an attempt to look earnest.

"What reason do I have to lie? Maybe it's because of that trainwreck of a goodbye the two of you shared, maybe it's because she would rather be with a dead guy than you…" Kaitlyn turned pink.

"How do you even know any of that?" She tried for defiant but her voice was weak. Tamara brushed her fingers through Kaitlyn's hair in a consoling fashion.

"Oh lamb, I know that creep she spends her time with. You should have heard him braying with all of his friends last night. Talking about your painful problems like it was all a joke to him. When my office received the request this morning, I was aghast that the two of them would be so apathetic and selfish. I'm so sorry sweetheart." Kaitlyn shook her head and pulled away.

"I don't believe you." Kaitlyn's phone rang after a brief silence. Kaitlyn bit her lip after checking the caller ID.

"That's her isn't it? Play along. See if I'm wong, I'm sure she's relieved." Kaitlyn took a breath t to steady herself before answering.

"Hey Kat! What are you up to?" Lydia's cheery voice caught Kaitlyn off guard. Their argument was still fresh in her mind.

"Um… I don't know actually. It's the weirdest thing…" She glanced at Tamara, who nodded encouragingly. "I woke up on my couch and my- my head is fuzzy. I can't remember the last few days… Didn't I come to see you?" _Come on, Deetz._ Lydia didn't respond right away.

"Yeah… You slipped on the stairs and hit your head. The doctor said that you would have issues with your memory for a couple days."_ Fuck._ Kaitlyn's face felt hot.

"Oh. Right. Of course. Clumsy me." She croaked out. Lydia couldn't possibly just toss her aside like a broken doll just because she had gotten that ghost back.

"You don't remember anything?" Lydia's voice was measured.

"Nope. Why?" Lydia coughed delicately, clearly uncomfortably. Kaitlyn held out hope for another moment that Lydia would say something, anything. If not about Beetlegeuse, than at the very least about them. If she believed Kaitlyn's memories were gone, then she had the opportunity to let Kaitlyn down gently so she could move on instead of pining for her.

"Just… maybe take it easy for a couple days. I'll call you tomorrow." This morning Kaitlyn had felt mortified, she realized that was nothing compared to how humiliated she felt now, and because of the same person.

"Right. Um- yeah. Ok, I'll talk to you then." Kaitlyn slumped back, covering her face with a pillow. Tamara pulled Kaitlyn into her lap.

"See? You see what they tried to do to you? If anyone else from my office had come for you, they would have made a fool out of you. She was going to get away with it if I hadn't come."

"Oh my God, thank you. I'm such an idiot." Kaitlyn couldn't believe she was bawling in a stranger's lap because her best friend had tried to screw her over.

"Shh… No. No no no sweetie. This is all _his_ fault, don't you see? _He's_ trying to corrupt her. _He's_ the only thing keeping the two of you apart." Kaitlyn wiped her face on her sleeve and looked up at Tamara. "I can't _believe_ she would choose _him_ over someone as lovely as you."

"So what do I do? What can I do, I'm only human." Kaitlyn's voice wobbled with uncertainty. Tamara took Kaitlyn's hands into her own and sighed.

"Right now, Lydia needs_ you_. She's not thinking clearly. We have the upperhand because they think you don't remember. I need your permission to use your body as a vessel."

"A..vessel?" Kaitlyn stood and tried to subtly put some room between them.

"Well yes, you see I'm not corporeal and you don't have the power to perform the ritual." Tamara tried to keep her voice casual, as if it were a normal thing.

"What ritual?" Kaitlyn stepped closer without thinking.

"Nothing malevolent honey, just something that will keep Lydia in this world and him where he belongs. When it's over, I can even erase her memories of him. You'll have her all to yourself." Kaitlyn shifted her weight and stared at a picture of Lydia and herself sitting on the mantle.

"I'm not sure I want to steal her memories." Kaitlyn thought about how grateful Beetlegeuse had been when she helped him.

"Why not? She didn't hesitate to take yours. Not even because it was necessary but because it was uncomfortable to deal with. Besides, it's a kindness. She would be miserable otherwise. Trust me, you'd be doing a lot of people a favor sending him back." Tamara scrutinized Kaitlyn. Even still raw with betrayal she didn't appear like she wanted revenge. Tamara switched tactics. "Honey, we need to act quickly. You don't want her to decide she would rather live in the Neitherworld… permanently, would you?" Kaitlyn looked up sharply, studying Tamara.

"I guess I give you my permission?" Tamara stood, opening her arms wide for a hug. Kaitlyn hesitated for a moment, then obliged. Tamara was right after all, she reasoned. _I'm the only one who can protect her._

"You know that I'm not going to marry you, right?" Beetlegeuse was stretched out at the foot of the bed flipping through a Morte Maxim absently, the equivalence of the Neitherworld Playboy. Lydia was laid back with her feet in Beetlegeuse's lap. She glanced up at him from the book she was pretending to read. She had tried to read, she understood what each word meant separately, but they blended together in her mind. The day's events swirled around at the forefront of her thoughts.

"Hmm… I wonder if Jacques is still up." She put a finger on her chin thoughtfully, staring up at the dusty cobwebs in the corner of the ceiling. Beetlegeuse grunted.

"I'll break every one of his fucking bones." Lydia smirked, satisfied with his response.

"Would you? That sounds like jealousy Beej." Lydia sat up and leaned over her knees to stare at him. She tilted her head and her hair fell like a dark curtain around her face. Beetlegeuse peeked at Lydia, clenching his jaw. Her eyes smoldered from under her long eyelashes. He rolled his eyes and returned to leafing through his magazine. "Why'd you kiss me?"

There it was. The question that had burned inside her since the moment his lips touched hers. Even now, the memory made her skin feel hot. Beetlegeuse grunted uncomfortably. Without looking at her, he laid his hand on her calf and absently rubbed it with his thumb.

"It was the quickest way to shut you up." He grumbled out. Lydia smacked him with a pillow and he chuckled. "It takes two to tango babes, and you definitely kissed me back."

Lydia's cheeks burned and she was grateful he wasn't looking at her. She wanted to respond with something snarky and blasé but everything she could think of only sounded petty. She took a deep breath and pulled down the magazine.

"BJ, I don't want to lose my memories." Beetlegeuse ached staring into her vulnerable eyes. He wanted to tuck her under his chin. He pulled away, running his fingers through his tangled hair in frustration.

"I can't. Lydia, I can't!" Lydia wrapped her arms around herself, eyes cast down. Beetlegeuse sighed. He pulled Lydia's hands into his own. "Listen to me, you stubborn crazy woman, after you bind yourself to the Neitherworld, you won't be able to move on for at least 1000 years. That's the contract. Lydia, I am 634 years old. That's just over half of how long you'll be stuck in this shitty place."

Standing, Lydia tried to wrap her mind around that much time. 1000 years was nearly the span of all recent human history. Beetlegeuse didn't seem like he was lying. His eyes were desperate, imploring her to understand.

"Yeah, that is a long time to have to put up with you. I think I'll manage somehow." She winked, ignoring his groans of protest.

"When I marry a living person, my binding will be broken. I'll be free, I could move on at anytime." Her attention perked up at that, knowing he may let something sip unintentionally.

"That's what you want, isn't it? To move on?" She couldn't bare the thought of him passing over as soon as his binding broke, but if no one had done it in 600 years, who would?

"I won't let you pay the price for it. I'll handle it. Besides," He turned around to gauge Lydia's reaction, speaking slow enough for each word to sink in. "In order for it to be a binding marriage, it would have to be consummated."

Lydia kept her expression neutral, as if expecting it. She leaned back against the door frame and toyed with the ring on her finger, considering his words. After a moment, she shot him a lazy smile.

"Oh, now I understand. You're not worried about me, you've just got _performance anxiety._" She leaned in to stage whisper conspiratory. "Don't worry, I'm sure I've had worse."

Beetlegeuse bit out a harsh laugh, uncomfortable at her flirting. He was used to being the one in control, hunting down his prey. Being in Lydia's crosshairs wasn't anything he ever expected. He knew she couldn't be serious and that was part of the problem. Lydia would never want him the way he wanted to take her in that moment. Sure, she may have kissed him, but if anything that could mean she hadn't been fucked in a while. He leaned on his forearm over her. Lydia came crossed her arms.

"Lyds, you couldn't handle what I could do to you." His closeness was intoxicating. She wondered if he knew the effect he was having or if he was simply amused by her. Lydia was confident she could convince him to marry her, but consummating their union was something that had thrown her for a loop. Getting her 'green card' was one thing; she wasn't sure she was ready to sleep with him. She wasn't even sure that she wanted him, she only knew she wouldn't be told what was best for her. If he wanted to play chicken though, she wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of her blinking first.

"You underestimate me. All these women you've had over the years, how long have they been dead? I'm sure it's become quite monotonous." She asked innocently. Dredging up as much confidence as possible, she pushed away from the door, bringing her face inches from his."I bet I've done things you've never even dreamt of, things that would make even _you_ blush." Beetlegeuse snorted, refusing to move.

"You were nearly assaulted today, why aren't you, I don't know, traumatized?" Her jaw tightened. She knew her reaction here was critical, if she blinked then he would know she was a mess inside and want to coddle her.

"Because you found me before it went too far," She saw the fire spark behind his eyes and quickly continued. "And because _I'm_ the one in control here."

"Please," He scoffed. "I know when you're bluffing babes, I'm the one who _taught _you poker." Lydia grinned. She lowered her voice, giving it a husky quality.

"You think you know when I'm bluffing?" He could feel her heartbeat speed up. He had to give it to her, she was doing a hell of a job but he wouldn't give in.

"I know I do." He didn't sound entirely sure, though. She dragged her eyes down to stare pointedly at his lips. Now only a breath of distance between them. She decided to push him further.

"Prove it." She breathed.

It was all the encouragement that was needed. Beetlegeuse leaned his face closer to hers at an agonizingly slow pace, all the while looking at her seriously. He reached his hands up to dig into her hair, tilting her head to the side for access. Lydia shivered as he teased her neck with the faintest caress of his lips on her skin. He let his hands slide down her body leisurely, letting his thumbs momentarily graze over her nipples through her clothes, to wrap firmly around her waist. Lydia arched her back towards him, gasping as he gave her a playful nip.

_Gotcha._ Beetlegeuse grinned wickedly as he roughly picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Lydia shrieked in protest but it was already too late; Beetlegeuse had carried her over to the bed and snapped his fingers. The blankets snaked about, swaddling her in an instant. She was trapped.

"You fucker!" Beetlegeuse laid down beside the struggling bundle, propped up on his elbow. He looked immensely satisfied with himself.

"Let me out." She muttered deflated. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

"After you fall asleep, sure. Back in a bit." Without another word, he was gone. Lydia thrashed around a bit more, frustrated in more ways than one. Deciding eventually she'd give him the worst case of blue balls as revenge.

_So much for being the one in control. _Beetlegeuse materialized himself outside Tamara's apartment. His fingers hesitated on the doorknob. Was it really worth the trouble to relieve his problem? Tamara would be the quickest solution but the fall out would be a pain in the ass. After a moment, he let himself in after juicing the lock. Breaking in could be prevented if you spent enough money on a decent lock but Beetlegeuse was a bit more powerful than the average protection that was offered.

"Hey, you home?" His voice echoed around the empty room. The apartment had always been too cramped for his taste. The entire thing was composed of three rooms: a bedroom, bathroom and the living room with kitchen attached. There was an empty pizza box, a half eaten sandwich, and a tipped-over bottle of red wine on her counter. Her threadbare green couch had two mounds of laundry strewn across it, whether clean or not was unclear. Her coffee table was covered with papers from work, coffee mugs, and magazines. He liked how messy she was, despite the fact it caused the already small space to shrink further. It was one of the things he actually enjoyed about her company. Jacques was always cleaning up after him at the Roadhouse.

He strolled around without turning on the light. The street lamps illuminated the room well enough through the still-open door and he wasn't overly interested in staying. It was clear enough to him that she hadn't been home in a while. She was probably at Club Morte, one of her favorite haunts. The place was overcrowded with freshly dead and played loud god awful music. They said things that made little sense to him and while he enjoyed a party as much as the next ghost, the generations gap was more apparent to him then ever before. Tamara hadn't been dead but only twenty years or so and the atmosphere suited her. He took one last cursory look around before slipping out and willing himself to _his_ favorite haunt.

Maybe there was some clue laying around as to the seedy things she had her fingers in but that's what he was paying Altweather to find out. Beetlegeuse was sure he had already rummaged through her things since he'd been tracking her. Tamara's dramatic display at his house seemed more and more like an empty threat the more he mulled it over. Beetlegeuse could only imagine a handful of specters who harbored enough animosity towards him as well as enough power to back it up, and he really couldn't imagine any of them associating with the likes of Tamara.

He grit his teeth trying to will away the throbbing in his groin as he shuffled through the door. Lydia would regret it in the morning, if they slept together. She may enjoy the thought right now, a little fun between the two of them- but she'd wake up hating herself. Maybe enough to leave for good. She had to have been traumatized or something. That was the only explanation for her behavior. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he stomped up to the bar. Anissa glanced up from the glasses she was cleaning.

"Back so soon, trouble? Looks like you're in a great mood." The bar was empty aside from the two of them. "Y'know I had to listen to those two idiots bitch for twenty minutes after you left." Beetlegeuse sighed. He had forgotten about them in the wake of what happened at the castle and in the alley.

"Either pour me a drink or get undressed." Anissa snorted, setting a glass down in front of him.

"Has anyone ever told you how obnoxious you are?" Beetlegeuse leaned back and grinned as he sipped his whiskey.

"Told me? Comeon, it my whole shtick. Look, I got a hard on that could put a hole through that fucking wall-" He raked his eyes over her body letcherously. "And you're gorgeous." Anissa arched a brow, considering him. Beetlegeuse rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I've been coming here long enough by now that you should know what I'm about. Look, my...er, _that_ 'someone' I mentioned before, well she's stubborn and prone to recklessness and won't let me protect her."

Anissa stopped cleaning and leaned on her elbow. She wondered what he'd been like alive. Most people stayed the same person once they died but he probably hadn't always been a sloppy drunk. He seemed more lucid in the past month than he had in years, almost like an actual person and not the shade of one. She stared at him dubiously.

"What's that got to do with your dick? She's a grown woman, isn't she?" Beetlegeuse shook his head. Yes, from a technically stance 26 was an adult. Compared to him however… There were at least five generations between them.

"Relatively speaking. I'm over 600. You're... what? Like 150? She doesn't know better." Anissa leaned forward, tilting Beetlegeuse's chin up with her fingers to smile sweetly and bat her eyes at him.

"Do you know what women love?" She crooned, her voice like silken honey. He leaned his face towards hers expectantly. She quickly swatted him just hard enough to beat the idea into his thick head. "When big strong men tell us we don't know better. And I'll have you know I'm only 129."

"I'm serious. She could get hurt." He raised his arms in a mock serious karate gesture to ward off any further attacks. Anissa rolled her eyes with her hands on her hips.

"I'm serious. Don't you think she realizes that? I am right to assume she isn't stupid? Unless she's like all the other ditzy little conquests you parade around with? Hell, maybe she wouldn't be so reckless if you were less condescending." Beetlegeuse smirked, knowing Anissa could be right.

"Maybe," He looked at her soberly. "I just… care about her. It's… frustrating… in more ways than one." He explained to her about how long he'd known Lydia, about the King's proposal and even about what he stopped in the alley.

"Kay, lemme say it slower for you- It's. Not. Your. Choice. Christ,

Anissa was torn. The need on his face was apparent. On the one hand, Beetlegeuse was a dog. Going around sleeping through half the Neitherworld, leaving madness and mayhem in his wake. He didn't bathe; they may be dead but they could still be decent. Once he tried to pay his tab with a rat he seemed genuinely surprised to find in his pocket. On the other hand, he wouldn't call her. He wouldn't expect any intimacy or even fondness from her. It would give her something she needed without any of the drawbacks screwing someone else might.

After getting out of the relationship she had just ended, she could use a little casual hate sex.

"Alright." Anissa walked around to the other side of the bar and hopped up. "But only if you get me off first." Beetlegeuse laughed and threw back the rest of his drink.

"Shit, now we're talkin'!" He pushed up her skirt and opened her thick thighs, admiring the way the light glittered on her dark scales. As he tried to dive in, Anissa stopped him with a finger on his nose.

"This is a one off thing. I need a pick me up. Don't make me regret it." Beetlegeuse nodded enthusiastically, yanking down a white lace thong and burying his face into Anissa's folds. He reached up under her shirt to cup one of her large breasts and pinched her nipple between his middle and ring finger.

"Oh, mmmmn…" Beetlegeuse twisted his tongue deep into her, using just a bit of his juice to properly fuck her with it. She was delicious. He expected her to be cold, to taste like the ocean. He poured himself into her warmth. There was a slight saltiness, she had died at sea; but it balanced her sweetness. His thumb ground into her clit more rapidly as he felt her orgasm build. When she was right on the edge, Beetlegeuse unzipped his pants and slapped his throbbing cock against her pussy lips, robbing her of finishing.

"Spit on it, Niss." Beetlegeuse hissed between clenched teeth. She whimpered in protest but complied. He was a little satisfied with himself, having had his eye on the barmaid since she started. Anissa scooted down on her knees and teased the head of his cock. She lightly traced the tip with her tongue, lapping up the beads of precum.

Beetlegeuse groaned watching his cock disappear in her tiny mouth. He twisted his fingers into her short dark curls, forcing her down to the base. She gagged, constricting her throat around him. Anissa pulled back and slobbered generously on the head, a little trail of saliva still on the edge of her lips as she locked eyes with him. He helped her up only to shove her backwards onto the pool table behind them.

"Hope you're ready 'cuz I ain't gentle." Was all the warning Anissa got before he slammed the entire length of his cock into her. She gasped, digging her nails into his shoulder. She was tighter than he expected, his girth stretching her out.

"Oh God!" Anissa moaned. She clutched onto his shirt while he pumped slowly, massaging her clit as he drove her closer to orgasm. She stared off behind him, no doubt imaging someone else screwing her. He respected her enough not to try to kiss her, it wasn't what she wanted. He understood her disconnect, it's how he felt with Tamara. He picked up speed, intent on making them cum simultaneously.

"Mmmn… That's it." The door opened, some nobody that Beetlegeuse often saw drinking quietly in the corner started to walk in. Beetlegeuse threw a wave of energy at him, throwing him out the door, "Bar's closed." He grunted. Anissa cried out, clenched on to his ass as her orgasm crashed over her. _Good_. Now he could focus solely on his own pleasure.

Lydia tossed and turned, still locked into the bed. She felt like she should have been panicked considering she had been forced down only a few hours prior in an entirely different situation but mostly she was frustrated. It had to have been at least an hour since he'd been gone.

She wondered where Beetlegeuse had run off to and why. _Why?_ Beetlegeuse had _never_ been one to ignore his baser instincts. She was certain that he was somehow the origin behind the term 'hedonism'. Did he not find her… Desirable? She had been in and out of crummy relationships over the years they were apart. She didn't care what people thought of her, in fact it amused her when they avoided her weirdness.

In relationships she had been called cold, disconnected. They never lasted long. More often than not, she indulged in loveless flings. She never understood why she had been so cynical but now in light of her imaginary best friend being very much real, she supposed it made better sense.

She was confused. She didn't know what she had expected but somehow this was more disappointing than anything else. Part of her was embarrassed, but mostly frustrated.

He was probably jerking off in the next room. A coy smile spread over her face.

"Beetlegeuse. Beetlegeuse. Beetlegeuse!" Beetlegeuse appeared instantly, his fingers digging into bed frame at the foot of the bed. He stopped himself moments before ramming his cock into the frame. His pants were still around his ankles.

"FUCK!" He turned against the wall and slammed his fist. "GODDAMMIT WOMAN!" Lydia was treated to the full view of his bottom half. Beetlegeuse pinched the bridge of his nose and took several steadying breaths. After he composed himself, he took a seat in a chair by the bed. Without pulling up his pants, Beetlegeuse widely spread out his legs and crossed his ankles. Giving her an exasperated smirk, he folded his hands behind his head. The position he took dared her to look at his still fully erect cock and she knew if she let herself get flustered, she would lose.

"You called?" He spoke as if she hadn't just caught him going balls deep in some other woman. He would. She should have expected that he wouldn't bother masterbating when he could easily find someone to bury it in.

"Could I have a glass of water? Would get it myself but… Didn't realize you'd be otherwise engaged." Lydia shrugged, trying her best to seem unbothered. Irritation tugged at the back of her mind. She tried to squash it down but the irrational feeling of betrayal still flared up. Ridiculous. He wasn't hers. He could do whatever he pleased with whomever.

"'Course." Beetlegeuse snapped his fingers and the blankets freed her. Lydia stood and stretched lazily, giving her a chance to peek at the slowly shrinking erection again. He was bigger than she had guessed. She got her water and by the time she returned, he had made himself decent.

"Don't you need to get back to… whatever her name is?" She tried to look disinterested but derision colored her tone.

"Is that a hint of jealousy, babes?" Her cheeks flushed slightly. The sight was almost worth the trouble she'd caused by summoning him. Almost.

"Not at all. Just hate for you to waste your money, I'm sure your hour's nearly up." Beetlegeuse chuckled, finding the empty shot at him endearing in the context of her envy.

"If anything she ought to pay_ me_." He muttered.

An hour later they were sitting comfortably together on the living room couch. The fire was crackling in the fireplace and each had a mug of hot chocolate. They were adequately spiked and two cocos in, Lydia was getting quite intoxicated. Neitherworld liquor was much stronger than anything she had had before. Lydia leaned her head against his shoulder and groaned.

"And you thought you could keep up. I've had as much as you and I'm only buzzed." Lydia closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Beetlegeuse smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I never said… that I'm done. Just taking a break… to enjoy your company." She concentrated hard on not slurring her words and failed.

"Oh yeah? Sure you're not ready for bed?" He checked his watch. "It's around three y'know."

"Pfft… Nah! Sick of me already?" Lydia laid her chin on his shoulder and grinned.

"Never, babes." Lydia giggled, laying a hand on his chest. A silence fell between them as he studied her. She took the opportunity to slowly twist and angle her body into his lap, amused, Beetlegeuse let her.

"I missed you… so much. I tried to hang onto the Neitherwold for so long and… you never came. I really thought I was crazy... Sometimes I still wonder if I'm not imagining this." Her voice was hollow. The haunted look in her eyes made him wonder exactly what kind of therapy her doctor had put her through. "You know, I'm not going anywhere… not again. I will marry whoever I need to… in order to stay." She wrapped her arms around his neck, laying her head in the crook of his neck. "I wish you'd just let me help you."

Beetlegeuse sighed. She would, he knew it. It was his best chance to break his binding. He couldn't leave her after it was broken, but he had no control over when he would pass over. Hell, it may even happen the moment they 'consummated' it. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't care. Love 'em and leave 'em, he always said.  
"Don't worry babes, I'll figure it all out." He rested his lips gently against her head, inhaling her scent.

Lydia woke to the throbbing pain in her hand. And her leg. And her head. She had somehow ended up back into Beetlegeuse's bed. She inspected the swelling in her hand. _Yeah, definitely broken_. She rolled over, expecting to bump into Beetlegeuse's back, but the bed was empty. Beetlegeuse was sprawled out in a chair by the window. Muted sunlight peeked over him through crumpled blinds. His snores were as loud as ever. Normally, Lydia found the sound comforting, but today it was a construction crew remodeling her skull. He had taken off his striped blazer and pants, sleeping in just his wrinkled maroon shirt and black boxers. His tie was undone but left to hang around his neck as if he gave up halfway through undressing.

She was surprised he had taken the chair. It was unlike Beetlegeuse to be so gentlemanly. She wondered if he was purposely giving her space because of what happened last night or if he had simply fallen asleep there by accident. If she really did have to marry someone from the Neitherworld, what would it be like being married to him? Would she still keep living her life like nothing was different? Or would she stay at the roadhouse? He had to come around eventually, Beetlegeuse was really the only one she trusted enough to use to get her 'green card'.

She sat up, stretching out her muscles. There was definitely some soreness, especially around the gash on her thigh and her hand, but overall she knew she was ok. It wasn't the first time a guy had tried to take advantage of her but it was the first whom she was powerless to fight against. Marrying a Neitherworld citizen would protect her, Lydia hated feeling weak.

All of it was nothing in comparison to the massive hangover she was sporting. She hadn't even had that much. It felt as if an entire orchestra started a mosh pit in her head.

Climbing out of bed as quietly as possible, she gently laid the blanket over Beetlegeuse so as not to disturb him. He looked so vulnerable asleep, seeing him this way reinforced her desire to snuff out any threats against him. She tiptoed to the bathroom and fixed her hair with Beetlegeuse's brush- it was so rarely used that it was still as new as the day she bought it for him over a decade ago. Lydia smiled to herself as she noticed the other trinkets and pictures around his room that hinted at their long history. She knew she was safe and finally right where she belonged. She did her best to smooth out her clothes to look presentable.

It was early morning and she knew Beetlegeuse would be livid that she went without him to see Vincent, but it had to be done.

" Good Mairnéng Lydia, ai didn't éxpect to see you zo airly." She whirled around to see Jacques and Altweather sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and the newspaper.

"Jacques! Pierce! I'm so glad you're ok." She felt embarrassed, like she had been caught on the walk of shame. She slipped into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Pierce's neck. Altweather smiled brightly and patted her hand.

"Of curse. Mr. Altweathair camé ovair abut an 'ur ago wairried sick ovair you. Ai assured 'im you waire in éxcellent 'ands." She reached into the cabinet for a mug to fix herself a cup of coffee with.

"Although, you look as if you were on your way out. I suppose yesterday_ wasn't_ enough to scare you off?" He sounded as if he half hoped it had been.

"I am not the kind to back down. I won't let myself be a victim. How do you feel?" It struck her as odd how natural all of this felt. As if this was her daily routine, waking up in the Neitherworld.

"Me? Oh, I'm alright. I woke up just in time to see you whisked away with Guese. I just wanted to come check on you, apologize, you're the one living." The smell of coffee was nirvana. Her stomach sloshed uncertainly but Lydia knew it would pass.

"Please, it wasn't your fault at all. Garbage is always going to be garbage, dead or alive." Pierce nodded but it was clear he still blamed himself.

"What troubuhl are you getteng into todai?" Jacques teased, returning to his paper.

"Me? In trouble? Come on, wasn't I usually the one cleaning up the messes?" Lydia nudged him playfully as she slid into one of the chairs. He glanced up at her over the paper.

"Trué. You waire alwais zé level-headéd one. Clevair, too. Like 'ow you avoided mon questshe-on." The coffee was unlike any she had had before, it tasted particularly strong. She drank in the moment, savoring every drop. Everything had been so hectic since Beetlegeuse had reappeared in her life, it was nice to have a moment of normal. It was precisely what she needed. Glancing up at Jacques, she knew she wouldn't get away without answering.

Lydia wondered briefly how Jacques was able to retain his accent so perfectly despite having no lips. The things you don't question as a child.

"I'm going to visit Vincent today." She wasn't sure how much Jacques knew about her new conditions to stay here, but she had a feeling Jacques knew Beetlegeuse wouldn't want her wandering around on her own. Jacques laid down his paper and leaned back to look at her. His fingers rubbed his chin in a faux thoughtful manner and gave her a conspiring look.

"Ah, our eehlustrious monarch. Ai imaginé Bee-tellgéusé isn't keen on yur plans." Lydia's contrite look confirmed as much. "You know, on an entiyaire-lee unrelated topic, Bee-téllgéuse usual-lee sleeps for anothair déux 'urs or zo if left undeesturbed." Neither Lydia or Pierce could stop the laugh that barked out of them.

"Thanks, Jacques." He returned her smile, pleased to have her home. Pierce gave her a troubled look.

"I know I wasn't much help yesterday, but I do hope you'll let me walk you." Until that moment, she hadn't realized how much she hadn't wanted to walk there alone. It felt silly to her, but having Pierce with her would be reassuring.

The sun shone brightly despite the clouds trying their best to obstruct it's radiance. As they walked, Lydia confided in Pierce about the decision laid out before her and what it would mean if she declined.

"I can imagine that everyone has their own opinions on how you ought to proceed?" He tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow and stared ahead thoughtfully. "Don't listen to any of them. Especially Juice. This is your decision to make. Albeit an incredibly difficult one."

"What would you do?" Altweather shook his head.

"I wouldn't use me as a sounding board, you only met me yesterday."

"That's why I'm asking. You aren't biased." He was quiet for a moment, contemplating his response. When he finally answered, he spoke carefully.

"I… and that is if I was as attached to this place as you seem to be, don't you tell Guese I said this either, but I would probably kill myself." The statement shocked Lydia and she briefly reconsidered if she should've asked at all.

"I'm not sure I follow." Lydia didn't want to insult him so she decided on a neutral answer.

"I don't like playing politics. If I have to make a choice, I'd accomplish what I could on my own terms. However, with that option you risk everything. When the time comes, you might pass through without stopping." Lydia had never thought of that possibility. Her father had, she might let them have her memories and then never come back. The idea made her squirm."Now ask me if I would have lived longer if I could have."

"Yesterday you told me death was easier." Pierce nodded.

"Easier? Yes. But better? I'm not entirely sure." He pulled the two of them to a stop. "Close your eyes. I want you to listen. What do you hear?"

"Nothing." There weren't many out this early, the streets were quiet.

"Good, hold your breath. Now I want you to imagine early morning in the springtime. The sky is filled with brilliant scarlets and tangerines. Blooms just on the cusp of bursting, everything is bright green, there's a babbling freshwater spring in the distance, someone is cutting the grass… Do have that in your mind? Can you smell it? Hear the sounds?" Lydia nodded, not quite sure where he was going with this."Now take a deep breath."

She was usually able to ignore the staleness of the air, but in that moment, it was all she could taste. Suddenly everything seemed unnatural. The quiet, while peaceful a moment ago, seemed devoid of something vital. The sunlight felt dull, as if only a shadow of the one in the living world.

"Living here in the Neitherworld, you will never experience that again. Everything here is a weak echo, a memory of living. You need to understand what you're considering giving up is more than just the big things." Lydia glanced around confused. "It's the songbirds. That's what you don't hear."


	3. Chapter 12

"My lord, Lydia Deetz to see you." A servant poked his head in Vincent's office, knowing that the King would of course see Lydia Deetz, but standing on formality had to announce her arrival. Vincent stood off to the side, filing some paperwork one of his clerks had given him.

"Thank you. Send her in." Before he had a chance to turn around, he was startled by Lydia engulfing him in a hug from behind. It was lucky that he had dismissed his guards from the room, they wouldn't have let her get this close.

"Vincent! I can't believe it's you!" He smiled turning to return her embrace. His memory hadn't done her justice, the woman before him radiated an ethereal beauty. Such familiarity was only found in his mother and Lydia. Everyone else kept him at arms length.

"Lydia, you have grown even more breathtaking over the years." She blushed slightly and grinned.

"Thanks, and you've turned into a real Prince Charming yourself." Vincent furrowed his brow in polite confusion. Perhaps she hadn't been told.

"Actually I'm the King now." Lydia giggled. The sound was melodious, a thing of haunting delight in his otherwise dark world.

"Oh, no I know. Prince Charming is just this generic ideal image in the living realm of the perfect guy. Y'know, someone tall, dark, and handsome." Vincent considered her statement for a moment, and gave her a small smile, as if he enjoyed the thought immensely.

"Oh, I see. Thank you. Pop culture references of the living are beyond me." Lydia sat in one of the chairs by his desk. He couldn't believe how different she looked and sounded.

"Vince, I came to talk with you about my conditions for being here." Vincent shook his head to expel the effects her beauty had on him, sitting across from her. He felt mildly embarrassed, sure that he had been staring. He hoped Beetlegeuse had effectively informed her, he felt ill at ease proposing marriage as if it were a business transaction.

"Yes, of course. Did he explain the details to you? About the consequences involved?"

"We didn't really discuss it, I was pretty exhausted last night." Lydia brushed her hair back looking away.

"Before we discuss it, would you mind if I showed you something first? It will only take a moment." Vincent gestured to a door opposite the one she had entered from.

"Sure, but I can't stay too long. Beej doesn't know I'm here." Vincent arched a brow.

"Why would that matter?" Lydia squirmed.

"Well I came to the Neitherworld last night and since BJ had been summoned to the castle, I went on a walk with a friend of his and something happened. He won't be too pleased that I've gone out without him." Vincent straightened in his seat, looking every bit like the powerful ruler of the Neitherworld and not the boy she used to spend time with.

"Explain, please." Lydia glossed over the events of the night before, omitting just how close she came to being seriously hurt and ensuring Pierce's bravery was noted. She didn't want Vincent to react the same way Beetlegeuse had. Outside she heard thunder rolling over the castle.

She stood to look out the window. Lightning cracked as rain vehemently pounded against the glass. When they were young, it would rain inside according to Vincent's feelings.

"Wow. You've got a much better control of that now." Vincent strut to her side, grabbing both her hands into his. Lydia winced in pain and the King stepped away as if she shocked him. He watched her cradle one of her hands and looked green at the sight.

"Lydia, please forgive me for endangering you." She looked up at him.

"What? No. I'm fine, really." Lydia tried her best to brush off his concern.

"You should NEVER feel unsafe in my realm. Lydia, it was proposed when you first started coming here that you have a protective detail. I advocated against it because I felt it would infringe on your privacy. I felt that Beetlegeuse would be a sufficient chaperone. I see now that I shouldn't have left that responsibility on his shoulders. I apologize Lydia but from this moment on, you will have an escort while in the Neitherworld. I'll ensure they keep at a discreet distance but I want someone available to intercede on my behalf if necessary." She considered arguing, but maybe agreeing to simple terms would make their conversation go easier. She knew he was unlikely to grant her request if he felt like it would only be opening her up to more danger.

"I understand. Thank you for your concern, Vince."

"You can also be sure that those… _animals _will be dealt with. I will not tolerate this behavior." Eager to change the subject, Lydia took his hand with her good one. She wasn't sure if there was anything left of them to deal with.

"You wanted to show me something?" He paused briefly, before leading her out the door, down a large staircase to a hall she had never been in before. Windows lined one side, arching overhead instead of a ceiling. Portraits, of past royals Lydia assumed, faced them. Outside the rain continued, indicating the King's mind was still brooding.

"Yes. Do you see that isle across there? That is known as the Isle of Matriarchs, it's where every Queen that has ever reigned goes once the crown is handed down."

"They don't… pass through? Like your dad?"

"They do, eventually. Since the first Neitherworld King, there have only been eight. Each King rules for one thousand years before passing over. Normal citizens of the Neitherworld can't conceive." Vincent blushed lightly. "Our bloodline is special because it's the only one with the capacity to reproduce. However, in order for this to take place, the mother must be a living host."

"Every Queen was alive when they took the throne?" Beetlegeuse found politics boring and never felt much like discussing Neitherworld history. To be fair, Lydia hadn't pushed the matter as she too hadn't been overly curious about it growing up.

"Yes. My mother became Queen only 35 years ago. My father was the first to delay the ceremony that long." Vincent glanced over at the portrait of his parents. His father stared back dispassionately. "He loved a commoner whom he could never be with because of who he was meant to be. When they moved on, it was another 150 years before he finally decided on my mother."

"That's so tragic, Vincent, but I still don't understand about the Queens?"

"It's because when a living soul binds themselves to this court, they bind themselves to the Neitherworld itself. They are unable to pass on for at least a thousand years."

"Binding myself to the Neitherworld… means that I could never leave until my contract is up." Vincent ran his fingers through his hair, looking every bit as despondent as she remembered.

"Not even to the living world as a poltergeist. You would still be here after I am gone, long after Beetlegeuse and likely everyone else you know now are gone. I need you to understand the stark endless night ahead."

"Wait, you mean after I die... right?" Vincent stopped and smoothed down his tie.

"Well… The process of carrying the heir… the host doesn't survive." Lydia took the information in stride. Did it really matter when if she had already decided?

" Hardcore, what happens to the baby if it's a girl?"

"Hmm? You mean if the Queen has a daughter? It has happened only twice. They keep trying until an heir is produced. Boys inherit death, but girls inherit life I'm afraid. The baby lives. It must be given up to the living world because it cannot survive in this place. The first child died shortly after because they didn't realize what was happening. The second, my grandmother's first born, was given up to the living world to lead an ordinary life."

"So, did you want- what I mean is I think you're saying that you don't want me to just marry_ any_ citizen… you want me to marry you?" Beetlegeuse had not told her. Vincent stepped closer, hesitantly taking her hands as gently as into his own.

"Yes, I am offering myself from your consideration," There was a heavy silence. "I know that this is the first time we're seeing one another after years apart and this isn't at all how I wanted this to go, I had this meticulous arrangement where I would court you formally but Beetlegeuse was supposed to inform me about your return and then he revealed himself to some- you know it doesn't matter, I'm so sorry Lydia. I know this is a lot to consider all at once." Lydia gave him a small smile. She felt bad seeing how nervous he was. Vincent stepped away and started to fidget with a ring on his index finger.

"But you are free to marry anyone else and eventually I'll take a queen. I don't want you to feel like you're being pressed into this. The council wants to erase your memory. I commanded this as a compromise, you are the first person that's ever been offered this."

"What do you mean? You just said all the Queens were living."

"It is considered our highest honor, Lydia. However, history hasn't always been as kind to women as it is now. I encourage you to speak with the past queens and take their advice under advisement while you make your decision." Vincent inclined his head towards the Isle and started to lead her back. "It is also why you were granted access to the Neitherworld as a child. My father was charmed by how easily you took to our realm, he thought it was a sign of your worthiness to rule."

"I don't know if I could be your queen, Vincent. I never really imagined myself having children either… I came here to tell you I will marry Beetlegeuse to please the council."

"Oh…" He stumbled over his feet but quickly caught himself. "You are aware that for Neitherworld marriages to be binding, the couple must… um, not to be indelicate but they must consummate their union?"

"I am." Lydia kept her face blank. She was relieved Beetlegeuse had mentioned it last night, she wasn't sure how she would have reacted if she had heard it from Vincent. They walked the rest of the way back in silence. When they had reached the door, Vincent cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Before you decide anything, I ask for the opportunity to court you myself. Lydia, you must know I have always cared deeply for you. I grew up with parents whom were entirely indifferent to one another." He started to reach for her hand again but thought better of it. "As naive as it sounds, I had hoped that when I did marry, it would be out of affection as much as duty. I can't imagine asking someone to sacrifice a millenia for me unless I was able to spend my reign devoted to them in as much as to the Neitherworld. I intend to be the first king to be equal in all things with my bride." She weighed his words for a moment. There was no harm in being diplomatic… right?

"Alright. I'll talk to the other Queens. Thank you for seeing me, Vincent." Lydia curtsied, feeling a bit silly but mostly unsure of how to respond otherwise. She turned towards the door.

"Wait, Lydia, in three days I will be hosting a ball. I would ask that you accompany me."

"Not on my account, I hope?" Vincent grinned.

"No, as much as I'd love to celebrate your return in such a way. Every year, the palace hosts a Yule ball to present those to the King whom have been Neitherworld subjects for at least ten years." Lydia's brow furrowed.

"Why ten years?"

"The vast majority of souls pass on within the first decade. If they last past that, they tend to be one of the spirits that linger for many years. It's tradition to present these citizens to the King so he may get to know the masses better." Lydia bit her lip, shifting her weight.

"Could Beetlegeuse attend?" It wasn't the reaction he was hoping for but it wasn't a 'No' either.

"My father banned him years ago for causing trouble… would he behave?"

"I swear he'll be on his best behavior. I just know he'd prefer to stay close after yesterday." Vincent pursed his lips. He supposed it would be good for Beetlegeuse to see Vincent striking a claim on Lydia's affections.

"Alright. Your escort will have the details. Amaranth," He kissed Lydia's hand lightly, addressing the shadows. "I trust you'll ensure her safety as you would mine?"

"Of course, your Grace."

"Gotta say Lyds, I have snuck out the morning after maaany times but I've never had it happen to me." Lydia whirled around to face Beetlegeuse staring at her from the vanity. He must have been waiting, she had only been home from work for a few minutes. After seeing Vincent, she had gone back to the Roadhouse but Beetlegeuse was still fast asleep.

"I left you a note! I do have a job you know… and I needed to have my hand set." She told the doctor she had slipped down the stairs and that caught the brunt of her fall with one hand. He didn't seem to buy it entirely but it was certainly better than 'punching drunk ghost attempted rapist', at least he hadn't ordered a psych evaluation.

"You went to see Vince." His words hung in the air like an accusation. Lydia sat at the vanity and packed a bowl, peering up at him as she lit it.

"I told you that I was going to. Why do I feel like I'm being interrogated?" Leaning back in her chair with her legs propped up, she tried to appear unintimidated.

"Because you are. What happened?" Lydia blew a puff of smoke towards him and watched it swirl against the glass.

"We're going to a ball together." Beetlegeuse arched a brow.

"Are we?"

"Vincent and I. Although, he said you could attend too as long as you behave. He explained to me about what it means… For me to get married to someone in the Neitherworld."

"You're still considering it?!"

"I haven't decided what to do. Last night I was ready to jump in without thinking, talking to Vincent… made me realize I should take some time to figure things out."

"Lydia! I will take care of it! Just trust me, for fucksake." Lydia shrugged, unconvinced.

"Fine. Just try not to get your hopes up." He glared at his feet but knocked on the mirror deflated.

"Whatever Lyds, just let me out already."


End file.
